Bees are among the most diligent garden beneficial insects for pollinating flowers - and are particularly worth protecting given their currently so worrying species extinction. So there are many reasons for turning an area into a bee pasture.
Which ground cover plants are suitable for bee pasture?
Bee-friendly ground covers are ideal for attracting bees to the garden. Suitable ground cover plants include yarrow, garden anemones, scented nettle, liver balsam, ivy, colorful goose cress, common grass and creeping goose. A bee-friendly wildflower mix also makes good bee pasture.
Why you should attract bees to your garden
Most lay gardeners already know that the proverbial busy bee is a valuable beneficial insect. Nevertheless, especially in times when it is particularly difficult due to monocultures, increased use of insecticides and the spread of the Varroa mite in the wild, its achievements for nature and garden culture cannot be emphasized enough.
First and foremost, they are effective flower pollinators. If you want to enjoy a garden rich in flowers, you would do well to attract bees. In addition, the intensive pollination by bees ensures effective seed and fruit formation of plants, which serve as an important source of food for other beneficial insects. If you dare, you can even keep your own small bee colony in the garden and receive delicious honey. Ultimately, bees are also valuable for the sensual garden experience: their humming creates a wonderfully idyllic, summery natural garden atmosphere as you roam the beds and sit together on the terrace.
What you get from the bees:
- Flower pollination – so more flower joy
- Seed and fruit propagation for humans and other beneficial insects
- Possibly honey yield
- Summer humming concerts
Bee-friendly groundcovers
If you want to fill an area in the garden with a ground cover, it is extremely clever to attract bees at the same time by choosing the variety. If you want to plant several areas in a bee-friendly way, it is advisable to create as wide a range of flowers as possible over the season. The busy pollinators particularly fly to the following area-filling species:
- Yarrow: very popular with bees, long flowering period
- Garden anemones: pretty, offer flowers in early spring to autumn depending on the variety
- Scented nettle: refreshing scent, distinctive purple candle blossoms, some varieties are even edible
- Liver balm: very decorative, light purple flowers and deep green foliage, blooms from June to August
- Ivy: Very effective bee magnet
- Colorful goose cress: Beautiful, delicate leaf decoration, blooms from April to July, for rock gardens
- Carnation: Flowers from May to August, not very ground-covering, more suitable for smaller, low cushions in perennial beds
- Creeping Günsel: good ground cover, flowers from May to June
Bee-friendly wildflower mixtures can usually be sown low and widely and are therefore suitable as bee ground cover - and an abundance of flowers is usually guaranteed throughout the summer.
