Recently there has been a bit of Buzz about Bees. This integral part of our food chain is at risk from a parasitic mite known as the Varroa mite. Previously this mite has been safely kept out of Australia, but was recently discovered in the Port of Newcastle, north of Sydney. As a result, a quarantine was introduced, and all NSW bees are on ‘lockdown’. This dramatic measure is aimed to protect the rest of the country from the potential loss of up to $70Billion per year in the agriculture sector.

Bees are a key lifeline that keeps the plant kingdom alive. These prolific pollinators play a pivotal role in the production of the fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains that we all need to survive. Nearly 90% of all plants in nature need help with pollination, and 75% of all commercial food crops fall in the same category. One out of every three spoonfuls of food we eat relies on pollination. Without bees, life as we know it would come to a complete stop.

But Bees have gotten a bad wrap. Many people fear their sting, which on the surface is quite understandable. However, you are ten times more likely to die from sunstroke than a bee sting, and thirty times more likely to choke on your dinner. 

Bees don’t just offer pollination of our crops, they also provide that sweet nectar of the gods, Honey. In the lifetime of one bee, they create only 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey. This is over a period of up to 4 years. But a colony of bees consists of up to 50,000, so an active hive can create up to a Kilo of honey during their active periods over spring and summer. 

Encouraging bees to your garden, by planting their favourite flowers, not only helps the pollination of your edibles, as well as those of your neighbourhood, but also helps protect one of our most valuable global resources. 

There really is very little to fear. Male bees have no sting, only female bees. The females are often the protectors of the hive, and not the workers. A worker bee, distracted by the job of collecting pollen, is in fact, so docile, you are actually able to pat them. Apirists (Bee Keepers) will often use smoke to distract their bees. The smoke causes an instinctual self preservation in the Bee. Forgetting everything else going on around it, the smell of smoke, means incoming fire. To save the hive, they begin gorging on the honey collected, in hopes of carrying away enough to recollinate somewhere else, out of harm’s way. During this distracted period, the beekeeper is able to extract the honey from the hive, without getting stung.

Plants Bees Love:

Salvia and Lavender are two crowd favourites. Long flowering periods, as well as aromatic flowers and foliage. Purple is an attractive colour to a bee, and they will often seek this flower over others. As a result, plants heavily reliant on bees have evolved to suit this habit.

How to promote Bees in your garden:

A pollinator house, or Bee Hotel, is a great way to create a safe environment for both Honey Bees, as well as native bees and other pollinating insects. You can even make one yourself. Make sure you research the type of bee you want to promote in your garden, as many native bees require very specific diameters when it comes to entrance and exit holes. A variety of sizes is a safe bet to promote as wide a variety of species as possible. Many native bees are a lot smaller and harder to notice than the busy, buzzy, honey bees. The six spotted euryglossine is a bee that is Native to Victoria. It is a solitary bee, who lives on their own, making a nest from mud and clay, often in gaps in between bricks, or sometimes in tree trunks. You can recognise it by the six yellow dots on its abdomen.

There are some who might think that the grizzly cold of winter makes the landscape dull, and cold and grey. But that’s not necessarily the case. There are so many stunning winter wonders that thrive in these cold conditions. The beautiful flower displays of the Camellia sasanqua and japonica. The new growth on Native Eucalyptus, the flowers of Grevilleas. The quick flashy colour pallet of the perennials like the hellebore and fuschia. The quick growing snow peas and rapid fire pansies and snapdragons. There are endless possibilities to provide vibrance and excitement to your garden, you’ve just gotta get out there amongst it.

Natives:

Australian native plants really are an underestimated workhorse in the garden. Due to their thousands of years of adaptation to the extreme conditions of Australia, they thrive where others fail. During winter, while annuals die off, or non natives whimper and wain, the flourish you get on your natives, is a sight to behold. With the cooler conditions, and the increase in rain, Eucalyptus species begin to shoot new growth. Often shaded with oranges and reds, the new growth emerges fully formed in miniature, and provides spectacular contrast to the older leaves of the tree. A beautiful specimen to behold, is the Corymbia ficifolia ‘Mini Orange’. 

Grevilleas:

Another winter stunner is the Grevillia family. So many flower types, so many foliage options. Ground covers, small shrubs, large trees. Such a diverse range of hardy, wildlife friendly and spectacularly showy specimens. Some favourites at this time of year include the Grevillea banksii x G. bipinatifida ‘Peaches & Cream’. An absolute show stopper, this small shrub will grow to 2m x 2m. Its a hybrid of two stunning and hardy varieties. It provides great habitat for birds and bees, as well as a floral display that is out of this world.

In contrast to the big show, is a fantastic small shrub Grevillea called ‘Fireworks’. A cross between Grevillea ‘Pink Pixie’ and Grevillea alpina, this hybrid has become increasingly popular in recent years.

Camellias: 

If Natives aren’t your thing, but you still want a blushing show of flowers and colour over winter, perhaps you might enjoy the extravagance of a Camellia. There are hundreds of hybrid varieties within the Sasanqua and Japonica species. Large glossy green leaves, tightly packed into a small shrub form, these hardy, shade loving plants are an ideal plant to have in your garden.

A personal favourite, the C. sasanqua ‘Sweet Jane’ is a prolific flowerer, forming pink buds at the end of Autumn, the cold rainy weather brings out her best. Starting out as soft pink buds, the flowers open to reveal a pure white heart that is highlighted by softening pink edges. 

Hellebores:

When it comes to Winter Wonders, there is none more versatile than the Hellebore. A shade loving winter flowering perennial, whose hybridisation has led to some really wonderful foliage shades and flower colours.

The pastel flowers, and leaf patterns look fantastic mass planted, or as a solo highlight on a window sill, or as an edge for a shady pathway.

Perennial Flowers

For a quick burst of colour, look no further than winter perennial pansy. Compact, and abundant, the Pansy comes in a seemingly unlimited amount of colours and patterns. With new hybrids arriving all the time. Great for borders, rockeries, or window boxes and hanging pots. Simply removing the spent flowers by hand will promote more and more flowers all winter long. These flashy little wonders will brighten up your garden, and quickly reward you with patterns and bright colour.