This list gives the flowering time, but this is an average for Europe, so will be later in the north and earlier in the south. The most important thing is that the bumblebees have flowers from the time the first queens emerge from hibernation until the newly mated young queens go into hibernation for the winter. So the deal is this - in return for the nectar they drink and the pollen they eat, the bees will reward you with a hum and will pollinate your flowers, fruit and vegetables for free. What more could you ask?
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 |
Viburnum | Oct-Mar | pink | >100 | |
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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