Planting around a bee hotel: which plants attract wild bees?

A bee hotel is just the start

Hanging a bee hotel is fine, but without the right plants nearby it is like a hotel without a restaurant. Wild bees need nectar and pollen, and not just a little — ideally a continuous buffet from March to October.

With GardenWorld you can see how a bee-friendly border would look in your garden. Upload your photo and plan the perfect planting around your bee hotel.

Combination 1: The spring buffet (March-May)

Crocus tommasinianus (crocus, 10 cm, light purple), Pulmonaria officinalis (lungwort, 25 cm, blue-pink flowers) and Ajuga reptans (bugle, 10 cm, blue spikes). These are the first flower sources after winter — crucial for early species like the red mason bee and buff-tailed bumblebee.

Add Salix caprea (goat willow, can be pruned as a shrub). The catkins are among the very first food sources for bees in spring.

Combination 2: The summer buffet (June-August)

Echium vulgare (viper's bugloss, 80 cm, blue — one of the best bee plants), Centaurea cyanus (cornflower, 70 cm, blue) and Borago officinalis (borage, 60 cm, blue stars, refills nectar every 2 minutes).

Fill in with Trifolium pratense (red clover, 30 cm) as ground cover. These four plants cover the summer peak when most bee species are active.

Combination 3: The autumn buffet (September-October)

Sedum spectabile 'Herbstfreude' (ice plant, 50 cm, pink), Aster novae-angliae 'Herbstschnee' (New England aster, 120 cm, white) and Solidago virgaurea (goldenrod, 80 cm, yellow).

Late bloomers are essential for bumblebees that remain active deep into autumn. The ice plant is an absolute magnet — on a warm September day you can count dozens of bees on a single plant.

Combination 4: Herbs for bees

Thymus serpyllum (creeping thyme, 5 cm, pink — a carpet for the bee hotel), Origanum vulgare (wild marjoram, 40 cm, pink clusters), Lavandula angustifolia (lavender, 40 cm, purple) and Salvia nemorosa (woodland sage, 50 cm, deep violet).

All four are Mediterranean herbs that thrive in full sun. They flower for a long time and are loved by dozens of bee species. Bonus: you can use them in the kitchen too.

Tips for wild bees

Plant in clusters of at least three plants per species. Bees are more efficient when they can visit the same flower repeatedly. Choose single flowers — double flowers are pretty but offer no nectar.

Leave dead stems standing in winter. Many wild bees overwinter in hollow stems. Avoid pesticides entirely — even organic products can harm bees.

Your bee-friendly garden

A bee hotel with the right planting is a complete ecosystem. Upload your photo at gardenworld.app and discover how your garden could become a haven for bees.