Bees work hard every day to pollinate the food we eat and keep our natural environment healthy and flourishing by pollinating the trees, plants, and flowers around us. The least we can do is give them a helping hand! Here are some easy, fun ways to help the bees help us.
Matthew and Chantel Sweeney run Urban Bee Project. They’re committed to spreading the word about how important bees are to our natural environment and ensuring that our bee population flourishes. Considered pests by some, bees couldn’t be further from pests. We rely on these busy little creatures for food pollination and a healthy environment. Through their initiative Urban Bee Project, Matthew and Chantel and brining nature back to the city – one hive at a time. Learn more at urbanbeeprojectaustralia.com. And read on for Matthews tips that anyone can follow to help our precious bees.
A beginner’s guide to helping bees
1. Tend to your little patch of paradise so that your plants are healthy and flowering. This is the easiest and most important thing Matthew recommends. If everyone tended to their garden with bees in mind, our bee populations would flourish and everyone – bees and humans – would be better off.
2. When it’s time to spray your gardens and lawn, think carefully about what you’re spraying. Chemicals and pesticides are dangerous for bees. They’re also detrimental to soil health which compromises our waterways and the health of the plants we grow in our soils.
3. If your budget is tight, opt for seeds and grow your garden from the ground up. And if lawn maintenance is not suited to your lifestyle, plant your lawn with a groundcover alternative that doesn’t require upkeep, will look great, and will also feed the bees.
4. Dive in the deep end and become a beekeeper! Or approach a local beekeeper and offer to host a beehive for them. But it’s important to join a bee club and find a mentor before starting a hive because the beekeeping process isn’t for everyone.
Bee-loving plants
Matthew recommends that we all grow plants that bees love in our gardens. Because every flower makes a difference. And there’s no need to spend up large because these common plants can be shared between neighbours. Start with this selection then sit back and enjoy as your garden comes to life.
- Lavender
- Rosemary
- Kangaroo paw
- Bird of paradise
- Fruit trees
- Neighbours-be-gone (Backyard Bliss variety of Lilly Pilly)
- Flowering gums in dwarf size (their nectar attracts New Holland honeyeaters)
- Herbs that have gone to seed (basil, mint, sage)
- Sunflowers (a very important source of pollen for bees)
