Want flowers, but no bees

[ljk19]

I really want to plant some flowers in my backyard but I REALLY don't want a lot of bees buzzing around my yard, especially since I have a 2 year old. I've heard that daffodils don't attract bees ... Does anyone know of any other flowers like that?

 

[SuzyD]

I don't really know much about that but would love to find out more about which flowers you can plant that don't attract bees. I'm not real crazy about having a bunch of bees buzzing around me every time I go outside.

 

[Robbie]

We planted red and pink blooms of hibiscus in the yard to deter bees. We've known this for some years and is why we chose this. Bees see the color red as gray and do not find it desirable. Blooms that are not highly scented will not attract bees. Also, I've read before, some time ago, that zinnias are beneficial to deter bees.

 

[Christopher1]

I guess I do not know too much about bees, because I thought all flowers were polinated by them. That is strange that bees think the color red is gray. For the past few years, I have not seen many bees at all so I have not been worried about them. Wasps on the other hand, are major problems here!

 

[JenP]

I did not know that bees think that red is gray either. That is certainly odd to me. I plant zinnias, hyacinth's and many other flowers and have never had any bees. I did notice that bees tend to flock towards lilac bushes.

 

[Howdie]

Bees and flowers

I don't know which flowers don't attract bees, but you might want to check out a book on butterfly gardens. Any of the flowers listed there will most likely attract bees as well as butterflies. The author may also discuss flowers that don't attract, or that repel, butterflies. So go the bees.

 

[Yoohoo]

That's true, Howdie. I was told that butterfly flowers were also bee flowers. I've never heard that hibiscus or zinnias deter bees, but that is good to know!

 

[Smart Red]

Tulips, while lovely, have a short flowering season in the spring.

I would rather train my two year old not to bother our bee friends than eliminate flowers from my yard. For years I had sedum growing along the walk-way. When they are in flower, they are awash in bees and butterflies. Never had a grandchild stung and the littlest used to run along the walkway to watch the butterflies scatter and return to the plants. The bees were too busy with the flowers.

I also have several St John's wart -- a flowering shrub that, over the years, has lured more than 12 different bee-like pollinators to its blooms. When the Japanese beetles are out, my granddaughter and I go through the shrubs with a bucket of soapy water picking the JBs off the shrubs as the bees fly from flower to flower. Bees have bumped into my hand. . . and my hand has bumped into bees, but they don't get excited and never have either of us gotten stung.

Bees are valuable pollinators that are now in danger and safe places for them should be encouraged. Of course a child with a bee-sting allergy would be a different story.