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European flowers used by bumblebees

The list contains flowers commonly found in Northern Europe, for a flower list for north America click here. By planting some of these bee friendly flowers you will help not just bumblebees but other wildlife too.

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Bee flowers Europe
Bee flowers N. America
Window boxes
Common name Latin name Flowers Colour Height cm
Alkanet Pentaglottis sempervirens Apr-Jul blue 30-60
Agrimony Agrimonia eupatoria Jun-Aug   50
Apple Malus Apr-May white tree
Aubretia Aubretia sp Apr-May pink/purple 10-30
Azelea Rhododendron Spp. May-Jun various >100
Basil Ocimium basilicum      
Bergamot Monarda didyma      
Bindweed Convulvulus arvensis Jun-Sep pink/white climber
Birdsfoot trefoil Lotus corniculatus Jun-Sep yellow <15
Bluebell Endymion non-scriptus Mar-May blue 15-30
Borage Borago officinalis Jun-Aug purple 60
Bramble Rubus fruticosus Jun-Aug white/pink >100
Broom Cytisus scoparius May-Jun yellow 200
Buddleia Buddleia spp. Jun-Sep purple/white >100
Bugle Ajuga reptans May-Jul blue <15
Carline thistle Carlina vulgaris Jul-Sep purple <15
Catmint Nepeta cataria May-Sep purple <30
Chamomile Chamaemelum nobile Jun-Jul yellow/white 25
Chives Allium schoenoprasum Jun-Jul purple 15-40
Clover Trifolium pratense & repens May-Sep white or red 30 - 50
Coltsfoot Tussilago farfara Mar-Apr yellow 25
Columbine Aquilegia vulgaris May-Jun various 60_100
Comfrey Symphytum officinale May-Sep pink 30-100
Cotoneaster Cotoneaster spp. Apr-Jun white/red 30- >100
Crab apple Malus sylvestris May white tree
Currants Ribes spp.      
Daisy Bellis perennis Mar-Oct white/yellow <15
Dame's violet Hesperis matronalis May-Jul pink/purple 80
Dandelion Taraxicum officinale Mar-Sep yellow 35
Deadnettle, white and red Lamium spp. Mar-Oct red/white 10-60
Elder Sambucus nigra May-Jun white 700
Evening primrose Oenothera biennis Jun-Sep yellow 80
Fennel Foeniculum vulgare Jul-Oct yellow 120
Forget-me-not Myosotis spp. Mar-Jun blue 15-40
Foxglove Digitalis purpurea Jul-Sep purple >100
Goldenrod Solidago spp. Jul-Sep yellow 60->100
Gorse Ulex spp. Jan-Dec yellow >100
Hawksbeard Crepis spp. May-Sep yellow 15-70
Hawthorn  Crategus monogyna May-Jun white bush/tree
Heather Calluna spp. & Erica spp. Jan-Dec pink/white 20-60
Honeysuckle Lonicera spp. Jul-Sep cream/pink >100
Hyssop Hyssopus officinalis Jul-Aug blue/violet 15-30
Kidney vetch Anthyllis vulneraria Jun-Aug yellow <15
Knapweed Centaurea spp. Jul-Sep purple 30-80
Lavender Lavandula spp. Jun-Aug purple 30-80
Lemon balm Melissa officinalis Jul-Sep white 50
Lesser celandine Ranunculus ficaria Mar-May yellow <20
Lupin Lupinus spp. May-Jul various 60-100
Marjoram Origanum vulgare Jul-Sep pink  
Marshmallow Althea officinalis Jul-Sep pink 100
Meadow buttercup Ranunculus acris May-Aug yellow 20-60
Meadow vetchling Lathyrus pratensis May-Aug yellow climber
Michaelmas daisy Aster spp. Jul-Oct various 20-40
Mint Mentha spp.      
Meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria Jun-Aug Yellow 100
Nettle Urtica dioica May-Sep white 150
Monks hood Aconitum napellus May-Jul purple/blue <100
Pansy Viola spp. Mar-Nov violet/yellow <15
Parsley Petroselinum crispum      
Pinks Dianthus spp.      
Primrose Primula vulgaris Feb-May yellow <15
Purple loosestrife Lythrum salicaria Jun-Jul purple 60-120
Ragged robin Lychnis flos-cucli May_Aug pink 30-40
Raspberry Rubus ideaus Jun-Aug white bush
Red campion Silene dioica Mar-Oct red >60
Red clover Trifolium pratense May-Sep red <30
Rhododendron Rhododendron spp. May-Jun various >100
Rose Rosa spp. Jun-Jul white/pink >100
Rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis      
Sage Salvia spp. Jun-Aug purple 30-80
Sallows Salix spp. Mar-Apr   tree
Scotch thistle Onopordum acanthium Jul-Aug purple 100
Selfheal Prunella vulgaris Jun-Oct purple 15-30
Small scabious Scabiosa columbaria Jun-Aug pink <60
Spear thistle Cirsium vulgare Jul-Sep purple 100
Teasel Dipsacus fullonum Jul-Aug purple >100
Thyme Thymus vulgaris      
Toadflax Linaria vulgaris Jul-Oct yellow 30-60
Viper's bugloss Echium vulgare Jun-Sep blue/purple 70
White clover Trifolium repens May-Sep white <25
Whins Genista spp Jan-Dec yellow 50->100
Wild thyme Thymus praecox May-Aug purple <10
Wood avens Geum urbanum May-Aug yellow 30-60
Wood sage Teucrium scordonia Jul-Sep yellow 50-60
Woundwort Stachys spp. Jul-Sep red 30-60
Yarrow Acillea millefolium Jun-Nov white 45
Yellow meadow vetchling Lathryus pratensis May-Aug yellow 100
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Jim: Who ran away from his Nurse, and was eaten by a Lion - Hilaire Belloc

There was a boy whose name was Jim;
His friends were very good to him.
They gave him Tea, and Cakes, and Jam,
And slices of delicious Ham,
And Chocolate with pink inside,
And little tricycles to ride.
And read him stories through and through,
And even took him to the Zoo -
But there is was the dreadful Fate
Befell him, which I now relate.

You know, at least you OUGHT to know,
For I have often told you so -
That Children never are allowed
To leave theri Nurses in a Crowd;
Now this was Jim's especial foible,
Ha ran away when he was able,
And on this inauspicious day
He slipped his hand and ran away!
He hadn't gone a yard when -
Bang!
With open jaws, a Lion sprang,
And hungrily began to eat
The Boy: beginning with his feet.

Now just imagine how it feels
When first your toes and then your heels,
And then by gradual degrees,
Your shins and ankles, calves and knees
Are slowly eaten bit by bit.
No wonder Jim detested it!
No wonder that he shouted "Hi!"
The Honest Keeper heard his cry,
Though very fat, he almost ran
To help the little gentleman.
"Ponto!" he ordered as he came
(For Ponto was the lion's name),
"Ponto!" he cried, with angry Frown.
"Let go Sir! Down Sir! Put it down!"

The Lion made a sudden stop
He let the Dainty Morsel drop,
And slunk reluctant to his Cage,
Snarling with Dissapointed Rage,
But when he bent him over Jim,
The Honest Keeper's eyes were dim.
The Lion having reached his Head,
The miserable boy was dead!

When Nurse informed his Parents, they
Were more Concerned than I can say:-
His Mother, as She dried her eyes,
Said, "Well - it gives me no surprise,
He would no do as he was told!"
His Father, who was self-controlled,
Bade all the children round attend
To James' miserable end,
And always keep a hold of Nurse
For fear of finding something worse.