Bee plants for early spring?

[purplekat]

Hi,
I'm trying to make my garden as bee friendly as possible and just wondered what people have seen bees actually feeding on in the last few weeks.
Most of the plants I've seen recommended aren't in flower yet so just looking for a few ideas for the early queens

[Pumpkin Becki]

Crocus are important early flowers, followed on by Hellebores and Primroses. A general rule of thumb is single flowers (rather than doubles), and native flowers are the most valuable food sources.

[Jeanied]

On my lottie the bees have been after the red dead nettle - the white is not out yet - so a good idea may be some of the lamium varieties which are related to the dead nettle. Or how about some lungworts (pulmonaria) they should be out soon.

[northepaul]

the bees around here seem to go for the bluebells and crocus...

[smallblueplanet]

Think I read somewhere that they like hellebores, ours are in flower, but I'm not sure.

[DaveJ]

Crocus are important early flowers, followed on by Hellebores and Primroses. A general rule of thumb is single flowers (rather than doubles), and native flowers are the most valuable food sources.

Same here. So far this year have had many types of Spring bulbs, but crocus certainly come out on top in terms of bees.

[Two_Sheds]

My crocuses are well over, but I've left a few dead nettle flowers for the bees (nothing much else is in flower, we've had a few daisies but not dandelions yet, which are really useful bee plants)

[binley100]

I had a big fat bumbly bee buzzing in and out of the daffs yesterday.

[northepaul]

Bumble bees keep coming into my lean to! I cleared out 7 yesterday, (with a glass and board, I might add! ) its been about 3-4 everyday for well over a week now...only have to leave the door open for 5 mins....

[Headfry]

Hi there, My girls (honey bees) love Hellebores and Crocus! so you are right on track!
Thanks you for thinking of the bees

[Madasafish]

Bluebells, crocus, hawthorn,budleia,scabatious, cosmos, poppies - especially BIG ones (they go mad for them), gorse, whins,

All decorative - all loved by bees. We have all except the gorse!

[seasprout]

Bees are on my Hellebores and Pulmonarias.

This link should help.

Gardening for bumblebees

[Snadger]

Taraxicum officinale?

And you can eat the leaves if you want to!

[Shadylane]

Even THEY are not in flower yet round here although that could be because I keep digging the ruddy things up, although to be fair I left one in the 'wild patch' but even that is still flowerless, just huge leaves and no doubt an equally huge tap root. Seen quite a few bulbous bumbles and feel quite bad for them that there's not much to eat.

[kentvegplot]

I have some very early Kaufmannia tulips which the bees loved, as well as crocus. Now it's the deadnettle (that's my excuse for not weeding that patch yet!) and I do have some dandelions in flower now.