Little late, but I am still working on my garden, especially for next year. Love colorful preannuals, but need

Terri J
by Terri J
as many suggestions as possible for flowers that are lower on the "Bee attraction" level - very allegic. I would appreciate all the help I can get and am in zone 6
  9 answers
  • 3po3 3po3 on Jun 19, 2012
    I have heard bees don't like feverfew. Also, consider ornamental grasses or plants with colorful foliage.
  • Terri J Terri J on Jun 20, 2012
    Thanks for the answers, but I'm still hoping for more ideas. I have thought of using some of he ornamental grrasses in various areas, need to look up what feverfew is, but I , unfortunately, love lavenddar, lillies, Irisis, etc. Dont think I am asking for trogle do you? -lol
  • Bernice H Bernice H on Jun 20, 2012
    Hostas hostas hostas, thousands of varieties, , so hardy, so dependable, they love humans! They winter well in cold, most like shade, but there are many that like sun too. When they start pushing up in Spring, you can almost hear them cheering, they get to spread their leaves again! I think I am in zone 6 too.
  • Terri J Terri J on Jun 20, 2012
    Bernice, have considered hostas, but unfortunately the are not in my top 20 favorited types of plants...Don't know why, but I just don't care for the things that much, unless they are free.
  • 360 Sod (Donna Dixson) 360 Sod (Donna Dixson) on Jun 20, 2012
    Terry are you going in full sun or shade for your plants? What about using plants that bloom when bees are not very active, such as Lenten Roses (Hellaborus) or Heather (Erica darlyensis), or Creeping Phlox ( Phlox subulata).I don't see a lot of bees on plants with *fuzzy* blooms, but that is VERY unscientific. If you have shade you could plant leafy ferns, Cast Iron Plant, dwarf Aucuba which have very little bee attraction. Or have night blooming plants like Moonflower (sorry you will have to plant every year as it is an annual)
  • Terri J Terri J on Jun 20, 2012
    @Four Season's - sorry, I should have specefied, these will all be full sun plants. They will have absoloutely no shade unless I win the lottery and can build something that will give them some shade. Laughing at myself, as I finally remembered to wear my glasses, and can see all the typos. Please keep ideas coming....I want a wide variety to chose from.
  • Douglas Hunt Douglas Hunt on Jun 21, 2012
    I've read reports that Kalimeris incisa doesn't attract bees, but I can't speak from personal experience. In general though, if you really want to avoid bees, you are going to have to focus more on foliage than on flowers.
  • Terri J Terri J on Jun 21, 2012
    Thanks for the answers, but I'm still hoping for more ideas. @Douglas - I was afraid I was going to get an answer like that, so I am hoping to be able to do a mixture ob both, where the :bee attractors" can be watered,, etc from a distance until they die for the season. As always, I appreciate your input.
  • Douglas Hunt Douglas Hunt on Jun 21, 2012
    You should probably try focusing on plants with larger, single flowers, like echinacea, rudbeckia and chrysanthemums, rather than things with clusters of small flowers. This is my gut sense and based on observation in my own garden, not anything scientific. Definitely don't plan any type of flowering sedum, which is a total bee magnet if memory serves, and, obviously, bee balm (monarda).