The best gardens for bumblebees are those that offer a long supply of bright beautiful open flowers with heady scents to feed on during March until October. This will ensure that there is a good supply of pollen at the most important times which includes when the queen bees are nesting, when the nest is growing and when the new queens are getting ready for hibernation!

Wild roses and traditional (old fashioned) flowered bush roses that have lovely open flowers, and fewer petals which allows bee’s easier access to the pollen.  The best types to go for are the older, established, traditional types, with open flowers, fewer petals and a delightful fragrance.  

Bees and other pollinating insects are extremely valuable visitors that we welcome to our garden. These insects will help to keep your roses healthy by consuming pests such as aphids. Bees will help other plants in your garden to reproduce by sharing pollen. In recent years, there has been a sharp decline in bee numbers due to habitat loss, pollution, and the use of pesticides, among other factors. Creating an environment where bees, including honeybees and bumblebees, can thrive is something that we can all achieve no matter the size of outdoor space we have. Many roses, especially climbers will thrive on balconies and patios. Bees are particularly attracted to the roses pictured here due to them having single or semi-double flowers allowing the bees easy access to their pollen-rich stamens.

Bees will visit your roses to collect the pollen.  The buzzing of bumble bees can be quite loud as they take hold of the anthers full of pollen and then vibrate their thorax against it to release the pollen.  

Any rose that shows its pollen such as Simple Peach will attract .

Here are some other options that we are sure you and your honey bees will love! Simple White, Cardinal Hume, Alicia Princess of Phoenicia and Simple Gold.