There are many affordable things you can do to your garden to attract bees and other insects into your it.  The easiest thing to do is stand in a garden nursery, you'll soon see which plants bees are having a party on, those would be the plants I would want in my garden. 

Here are some tips to get you started:

1.  Create diverse plantings

You will need a good variety of flowers differing in shapes, sizes and colour with varied ranges of flowering periods.  You need to cover early spring to late summer when bees are most active, a warm winter can see bees come out early, so if you fancy having some winter flowers to brighten up your garden then you may be helping the early starters.

Some bees may find multi-petalled flowers harder to access, and they also often lack nectar and pollen.  But if there is a plant that you love and it makes you feel happy, but isn't great for feeding bees, don't be hard on yourself, variety is key and other wildlife may like that plant. 

2.  Plant wildflowers and native species

Planting wildflowers can be a cheaper option for some.  All you have to do is clear some ground of grass and weeds, throw the seeds down, and rake them in.  They should reseed each year giving you more and more flowers without having to do anything more.

Some trees and shrubs have masses of flowers providing bees with lots of food.  Apple, wild cherry, willow and hazel are some good options.

3.  Don't use pesticides

Pesticides use chemicals to kill off those bugs we don't want in our gardens.  But they also harm bees.  With a wider diversity of plants in your garden, you'll be able to bring the right wildlife in that will eat the bugs you don't like.

4.  Make a bee house

Why not have some fun with the kids and build your own bug and bee houses for your garden.  They all need different types of houses and habitats, so this could keep the kids busy when they can't be out and about with friends.

If you don't fancy making a bug home, then you can always buy one.

5.  Retain lawn weeds

I know we've been raised by proud gardeners who don't like dandelions, but they are excellent for bees, and the yellow flower itself is rather a pretty colour when you think about it.  White and red clover are also weeds that bees love feasting on.

More articles about wildlife gardening:

How To Grow Catmint
What is the difference between a cultivated wildlife friendly and a wild garden
Simple gardening tips to help you have a beautiful garden that also helps wildlife find a home they can thrive in
Eight plants to help bees through winter into spring
What is yellow rattle
Oxeye daisy leucanthemum vulgare
10 of the best climbers for wildlife
Wildlife Gardening Tips
The secret to getting birds into your garden
The best flowers for bumblebees
Plants to add to your garden for caterpillars
The best flowers for honeybees
The best shrubs for butterflies
What you need to know before starting a wildlife-garden
How to attract birds to your garden

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