Since 1987, a research group at the University of California has been documenting bee diversity and bee frequencies on wild California plants. The research showed that bees have definite preferences among plants on which to forage for pollen and nectar — regardless of whether the plants are native to the area or exotic imports.

The experimental Urban Bee Garden on the Berkeley campus now serves as an outreach tool, helping gardeners, teachers, and other urban dwellers to plan and plant their own gardens that will attract bees and other pollinators. Its companion Urban Bee Gardens website brings a wealth of knowldge to beekeepers and gardeners alike.

Although the bee-friendly plant list is slanted, naturally, toward the climate of California and will need a bit of adjustment for other climates, the general guidelines make a solid starting point for designing a bee-friendly garden of your own.

There are many factors that make a garden attractive to bees other than the flowers it contains. Our research has shown that bees are more strongly attracted to gardens with a greater diversity of bee-friendly flowers. In addition, simple things like the layout and light exposure of your garden can have a huge effect on the number and variety of bees it attracts. Continue on to learn more about the non-planting-related things you can do to make your garden a veritable bee Mecca.