Plant THESE to Attract Bees 

I like what you’re doing.

Josh, Thank you for having Jason out to your nursery. I appreciate your focus on native plants and natural environment because they are definitely a critical part of every regional eco-system. The challenge is always going to be how to encourage people to add a few native plants to their space. Honestly, many people consider a large portion of natives to be weeds or undesirables. I believe you have a unique opportunity to not only share your knowledge and passion for the native plants and bees, but also to discover compatible and complimentary plants for people to want in their growing space. I live in Hawaii and we have a serious concern about the loss of native plants, animals, and insects like the honey bees as well as many others due to all of the imported varieties and stowaways that find their way here from around the world. My approach is a bit different from yours because I am focusing primarily on edible plants; however, I am adding as many pollinator and beneficial attractors as my property will support. Much like you, I am growing things as naturally as possible simply so they can survive on their own with as little help from me as possible. I tend to push the limits of "Ideal" because I want the plants to grow in spaces that are not ideal. If I am successful then I have the opportunity to create a community of growers who might not otherwise even try. My property is at 4,600ft/1,600m elevation and the temperature drops down to around 38F/2C. Not exactly ideal for tropical plants, but not impossible either. If I am able to cultivate the stronger native varieties to live in these conditions, perhaps I can also encourage more people to add them to their own spaces, increasing the area of natural cultivation, even if it's one plant at a time. I encourage you to balance the urgency you feel about the native species and preserving them, with helping people find native plants that will compliment their existing plants and perhaps develop a diversified plan that is sustainable for the long-term. The majority of builders, designers, and landscapers are not going to focus on native plants because they are trying to make every space unique so it will stand out. I am close to the national forest, so as I find native plants that can naturally survive in this area, I will be planting them in the forest areas (with the forest service permission of coures). Don't know the rules there in Canada, but maybe you have some opportunities there as well.🤙

Very important to have the native plants. I'm so glad you have presented this side of it. I'm working on letting more if my native plants get their footing back in my yard and garden. The birds, insects, other creatures and trees need these to survive. Many people think of them as weeds and don't see their beauty. Thank you, again for helping to shine some light on the need for a healthy mix.

Nice set-up Josh. Thanks for info and tour. I'm interested in native forest plants. From Ontario.

I would absolutely love some of your plants, but I am in Western North Carolina and I don't think they would like my environment.

Thanks - they really do! And so many others of the common herbs (oregano, thyme, sage)

Wonderful to hear about your native garden Ravenzpeak!

Thanks Shana. I'll add it to my list!

Agreed! I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THIS

Thanks Samuel. Have an excellent growing and selling season!

So nice to hear Mary!

Thanks Jeanie for the recommendations. I haven't been very structured about it, but there are definitely quite a few natives in the yard. Dogwoods, elder, dog-tooth violet, mahonia, red-flowering currant - I just added a whole bunch of false lily-of-the-valley (because I'm in love with the foliage). I think you're right - if you can find a native plant that excites you for each month or season, it's not a difficult task to find some space for them.

Yes. And I'll through in a shout out for its cousin catmint too.

Thanks Rodney. Yes, they'll find those lupins and nasturtiums right away!

They go wild for it. I used to have a little hedge of eupatorium cannabinum, and you could hear the bees from 20ft away.

Nice to hear you've been doing this for a couple of seasons and you're enjoying the results!

Thanks Zinnia - glad to hear you're helping to restore your rich native ecosystem!

You're so welcome.

Thanks Kate. I appreciate your thoughtful approach to gardening. I'm more on the "plant collector" end myself, but I'm surprised at how often the plants I choose for garden appeal also turn out to be excellent for wildlife.

Thanks Gary - love the carrot family for insects! Unless you mean anise-hyssop, which is also pretty awesome

Thanks so much for the feedback and encouragement!

Thanks for your picks Lee! It gets a little disrespect (because of a few bad players in centaurea) but I love cornflower!

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm Yes I love the stages of Centaurea blooms, I find mine looks really terrible about 3/4s through the season foliage wise but the blooms hold up well

It's definitely wise to maintain diversity in these plant populations

Thanks Sue. I haven't grown them for a couple of seasons, but I'm itching to try some for next spring!

Thanks Martina. That's really interesting - and I think this is the kind of conservation effort that excites me! It's grass-roots, and focuses on what an individual gardener can do with the right knowledge. I'll take that over any earth day parade!

Yes, and I hope these grass roots spread like weeds 🙃 sooooo many endangered species and basically everything starts with plants and insects.

Hi Diego - yes, I've heard the same about those flowers so full of petals that the bees can't access the nectar easily. It makes a lot of sense to choose the simple flowers for pollinators (but I'll still allow myself a good allotment of doubles and "fancy" varieties just for their garden appeal!)

Thanks Anna. That came from the title of Josh's video on the topic, and I agree with you for the most part. Part of the game on RU-vid is to pick a controversial or provocative title to improve audience click-through (in other words, clickbait). I don't blame him for it - this is a part of the ecosystem here on YT, and it's why you see so many videos phrased like "DANGER: DON'T use wood ash in your garden" or "You WON'T BELIEVE what happens when you bury a fish head in your garden" (and by the way, yes I would believe it: a the rodents would quickly find it and dig it up). So far as Josh's title goes, it's pretty mild. His claim really comes down to the fact that my standard recommendations for supporting bees are all pretty much international cultivars of (mainly) exotic plants. They'll be very helpful to the generalist bees and wildlife, but won't do anything for the specialists that rely on native species. I'm glad to have heard his message, and in the end, I don't think our approaches are in opposition at all: they're complimentary.

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm "won't do anything for the specialists that rely on native species". As a bee specialist, I entirely agree and it's an important message. This is esp true of moths and butterflies, which are often reliant on just one native species.