If you would like to support the bees while gardening, we have a suggestion. Come into the nursery, any time during the season, and follow them. They will show you their favorite plants, the ones that provide pollen and nectar they need to thrive and produce offspring. Let them select some plants for you and you will have a garden that both you and the bees love!
Bees are very effective pollinators. In addition to the honey bee, Connecticut has over 300 species of native bees which come in many shapes and sizes, all pollinators.
In early October in the nursery the bees are still buzzing, albeit rather slowly on cool mornings. There are fewer flowers blooming now so fewer choices. It’s important to have very late bloomers in your garden, as the bees are still looking for food. Here’s a few flowers we found bees visiting this time of year:
Aster OB ‘October Skies’
Aster oblongifolius ‘October Skies’ is a bushy aster that reaches just 18 to 24″ in height. It flowers August through October when most other plants have finished for the season and it is always covered with honey and native bees.
Agastache ‘Blue Fortune’
Agastache ‘Blue Fortune’ grows to 36-40″ in sunny dry areas. ‘Blue Fortune’ has a very long bloom time extending into the fall and is a favorite amongst the bumble bees.
Tricyritis ‘Taipei Silk’
Tricyritis ‘Taipei Silk’ prefers moist organically rich humusy soils in part shade and grows 12-18″. White, purple blooms in late summer and fall which bumblebees in particular like to visit.
Fall is for Planting