What kind of insects do you cheer for, where you come from? the Gnat inquired. That playful Lewis Carroll line lands well here, because bees are exactly the sort of insects we want buzzing through our Calgary gardens. Pollinators are essential for the food crops and ornamental plants we enjoy, and native bees are often as good or better at pollination than honeybees.
Why bees matter
Three-quarters of the plant foods we eat require pollination to make seeds, whether we eat them directly or rely on crops for the following year. Virtually all our annuals, ornamental fruits and many perennials depend on viable seeds. It isn’t just honeybees that perform this vital function. Native bees—bumblebees, mason bees, leafcutter bees and other types—do the job too, and in some cases even more effectively. With honeybee numbers declining due to Varroa mites, colony collapse, and pesticide drift, native bees play an even bigger role in Calgary gardens. We can help them by choosing bee-friendly plants and providing good forage throughout the season.
Nectar and pollen: how bees keep us fed
For seeds, fruits, nuts and berries, pollen transfer from flower to flower (cross-pollination) is essential. A bee may visit up to 2,000 flowers in a day, gathering pollen for protein and fats. Their pollen-streaked bodies rub pollen onto the next flower’s pistil, enabling fertilization and seed production.
Bees also need nectar for energy, especially from flowers with long floral tubes. Nectar-rich blooms attract other pollinators too, but bees stay faithful to feeding and, in turn, help our gardens produce fruit and seed. Calgary gardens benefit from a steady succession of both good pollen producers and good nectar producers, from late winter through the growing season. Here are some plants particularly good at attracting bees.
Late Winter to Spring
This is a critical time for overwintering bees, when few plants are blooming. Willows (as low as Zone 3) can be lifesavers, producing abundant pollen. The profuse catkins of alder and hazel trees (both as low as Zone 4) are welcome, too.
For smaller Calgary spaces, these late-winter options are attractive and practical:
- Mahonias (as low as Zone 2)
- edible and flowering currants (Ribes spp., as low as Zone 2)
- Winter flowering heaths (Erica spp., Zone 5 for many varieties) — these draw hungry bees on sunny days
- very early-blooming bulbs like snow crocuses, snowdrops (Galanthus spp.) and winter aconites (Eranthis spp.) — hardy to Zone 3
- Cotoneasters, especially rockspray cotoneaster (Cotoneaster horizontalis)
- The Calipetite/calipette calibrachoa series (Calibrachoa) — these small flowers bring quick bee visits
- Heucherella alba ‘Bridget Bloom’ — the small, pale-colored flowers are abuzz with native bees
Even in compact Calgary gardens, these plants help feed early bees. Keep in mind: crocuses are particularly good for giving early-season forage.
Spring to Summer
As spring progresses, fruit tree blossoms become a major bee magnet, and our fruit crops rely on bees visiting these blooms in droves. If you’re planning for bloom timing, consider adding ornamental types such as flowering crabapples. Small fruits—strawberries, raspberries and blackberries—also offer spring flowers that attract bees.
Many shrubs, vines, perennials and bulbs help create a varied diet for bees:
- Privet hedges (Ligustrum spp., Zone 3) and cotoneasters (Zone 4) pull in bees in late spring
- Rockspray cotoneaster (Cotoneaster horizontalis) again for heavy bee activity
- Lilacs (Syringa spp., Zone 3) and California lilacs (Ceanothus spp., Zone 7) are classic bee magnets
- Lavender (Lavandula) is a dependable mid-season lure
- Wall germander (Teucrium chamaedrys, Zone 5) is a non-stop bee magnet through its long flowering season
- In the vine category, honeysuckles and clematis (blue or purple-flowered cultivars) shine
- Bulbs such as irises, alliums and dahlias are attractive to bees
- A large group of perennials that attract bees includes anise-hyssop (Agastache foeniculum, Zone 2), globe thistle (Echinops ritro, Zone 2) and native lupines (Lupinus spp., Zone 3)
- Bees especially love blue or purple flowers, so plan for blue/purple varieties (and, as a reminder, they’re less drawn to red)
- Hollyhocks (Alcea rosea, Zone 2), hardy geraniums, and Monarda didyma (bee balm, Zone 3) are reliable bee magnets
- Heucherella flowers (often white, pink or cream) can also draw native bees
Annuals and herbs for continuous bloom
Among annuals, pinkish-purple or white forms of cosmos, petunias and sweet alyssum are good bee plants. Marigolds (yellow) also attract bees, and calibrachoa remains exceptional for providing continuous small blooms in many colors. The new Calipetite series in pink, red, yellow, white and purple is especially valuable because it forms non-stop mounds that hold up to sun, heat and humidity.
Herbs are excellent for attracting bees, especially those with blue or white flowers. Plant rosemary, thyme and sage, plus the bright blue flowers of borage. The small, pale blue flowers of winter savory (Satureja montana, Zone 5) are a dependable spreading perennial that bees love.
Midsummer to Fall
Mid-season bloomers keep nectar and pollen flowing:
- Butterfly bush (Buddleja spp., Zone 5)
- Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea, Zone 3)
- Bellflowers (Campanula spp., Zone 2)
- Sunflowers and zinnias provide bold forage through late summer
As fall approaches, keep a steady supply of blooms:
- Hardy hibiscus (Hibiscus syriacus, Zone 5) and asters (Zone 2) extend forage into hard frost
- Ceratostigma plumbaginoides (plumbago) adds true blue late-season color
- Caryopteris x clandonensis (bluebeard, Zone 5) provides mauve flowers that attract bees into autumn
End of the season
The growing season winds down, but bees may still forage into the season’s end. Some bees will die with the falling leaves, others will overwinter as pupae or in hibernation. If we gardeners cooperate, they’ll return with the first wan sunlight of late winter.
If you’re allergic
Most foraging bees are docile, but stings can trigger serious reactions in some people. If you’re severely allergic, use this guide to avoid planting the most bee-attracting species near you, and share this information with neighbors who garden. Bees forage widely, so they may visit other gardens at a distance.
Calgary & Bees
Calgary’s gardening season is short, but with careful planning we can provide a continuous tapestry of forage—from late winter willows to frosty fall asters. By incorporating a mix of native bees’ favorites and well-loved ornamentals, you’ll see bees visiting from early spring through autumn, helping your gardens thrive while supporting pollination for crops and ornamentals alike.
