Flowers for Bumble Bees

[StorminaBcup]

We have a bumble bee nest and I've noticed two dead bumble bees on the floor near to where the nest is. There's a small strip opposite that I can plant some flowers on so that the bees can feed.

I'm a complete novice at gardening and the area is quite shaded. Any suggestions for bee friendly plants that are easy to maintain?

blue scabious in my garden is what they make a bee line for (sorry couldn’t resist!) Also in my small north east facing front patch I have a verbena in a large pot that they go absolutely mad for. It flowers for ages too.

Ooh, just remembered Storm, I bought a load of aquilegia plants from Poundland the other day, 50p each! They're in a right sorry state, and I had to trim nearly all the leaves off, but they have some new shoots poking through. They also have geums, but bees don't seem too fussed by them.

I have a purposely bee friendly garden, and they are all over the foxgloves, lavender, scabious (pink and blue varieties) and eriseyum bowles mauve. I am a huge eriseyum fan, I haven't found anything better in terms of being so long flowering and spread.

They love borage, comfrey and lavender at my allotment. Also they love burying themselves in fluffy artichoke flowers. Some stay in there for half an hour!

They were all over this at the allotment this morning, and were having a good time with the chives and the foxglove too.

Geranium Magnificum, Purple Cranesbill

Plus it looks lovely :)

Knautia are fantastic for bees, they have loads of flowers on long stalks. The bees love them.

Thanks for all of the recommendations - I'll have a look at them all and figure out which ones I'll be able to keep alive!

As an aside a bumblebee buried itself in the soil today . I read that the queen bee may do this after their season has finished and if they have had enough females but I'm not that's right given the time of year. Can anyone shed any light?

Hi OP, I recall from the Dave Goulson books that some bumblebees already settle in to hibernate (Queens after mating) around now, whilst other species only emerge in June and have to rush. Can’t be more precise I’m afraid but really recommend the books.
A patch of naked, untended soil, south facing, without mulch or plants, gives the bees a place to potentially build their nest. Luckily you have already seen the bumblebee queen bury herself, possibly keep that area untouched and undug, even though nest tunnels can range for metres and you will never find the nest itself.

Also fluffy alliums are a snoozing spot in my garden, I suspect for male bumblebees reserving their spot, and trying to entice a queen.

Thanks Harebellmeadow that's interesting. These bees are fascinating aren't they? We had a huge one in the kitchen today so I had a good look at it before I caught it and let it out. I think we have tree bumblebees from looking at it's colouring and it also fits with where they've nested and the amount of flowering trees in our area. I think this was a Queen too as it was huge (at least an inch if not more). I'll have to do a bit more reading!

Our foxgloves are full of bees! I've seen about three different species of bumble bee on ours all at the same time and honey bees too!

Looking to now expand our range of plants for bees - I hear lavender and heather are also very good.