Bee-Friendly Garden

How Herbs Help to Keep Stronger and More Productive Bees

Guest Post

At Pepperpot Herb Nursery, we’ve been growing herb plants for nearly 30 years. Not just for kitchens, but for creatures that keep our ecosystems alive: pollinators. We know that thriving bees depend on diverse, high-quality forage, and when it comes to herbs, bees get exactly that.

If you’re a beekeeper, you are aware that the quality of forage around your hives isn’t just good for nature; it’s critical to provide safe, nectar-rich spaces for bees. A bee-friendly garden is essential for ensuring your bees have consistent access to the real nectar and pollen they need to thrive. At the end of the day, strong colonies don’t come from sugar syrup.

They come from bees raised with reliable, natural forage that supports their health and productivity. In this post, we’ll show how pollinator-friendly herb gardens can make a difference in keeping healthier, more resilient, and more productive bees.

Bee-Friendly Garden. The Role of Herbs in Keeping Stronger and More Productive Bees. Article Outline:

1. The Importance of Diverse Forage for Bee Colony Health.

2. The Power of Herbs in the Beekeeping Year.

3. What herbs are Best for supporting healthy bees?

4. Summary.

5. FAQs

1. The Importance of Diverse Forage for Bee Colony Health. Facts.

Nutritional stress is one of the top contributors to colony decline. The root of that problem often lies in the surrounding forage. Bees need a continuous, diverse supply of nectar and pollen to thrive, not just survive. Forage quality impacts everything from honey yield and colony strength to overwintering success and disease resistance. When bees have access to a wide variety of nectar- and pollen-rich plants, they build stronger brood, maintain healthier immune systems, and are more productive as foragers.

A 2015 study from the University of Sussex showed that diverse flower-rich habitats led to an increase in colony weight gain and improved overwinter survival compared to hives placed in monoculture farmland. [1] Nectar provides the carbohydrates bees need for energy, powering flight, thermoregulation, and daily activity, while pollen is their only source of protein, essential for brood development and enzyme production.

But it’s more than just macronutrients: forage also supplies micronutrients, amino acids, and phytochemicals, some of which are known to reduce parasite loads and support gut health.

Research by Dr. Mark Brown at Royal Holloway, University of London, found that bees exposed to natural phytochemicals in nectar (such as thymol from thyme or carvacrol from oregano) had significantly reduced Nosema ceranae infection levels, a common and costly parasite in UK hives. [2]

Similarly, a DEFRA-funded study by the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) emphasised that access to late-season forage, especially from herbaceous plants and native wildflowers, was key to improving overwintering success in British colonies. [3]

2. The Power of Herbs in the Beekeeping Year.

With their long flowering periods and rich nectar and pollen production, herbs offer the perfect addition to bee-friendly gardens that help sustain strong, healthy colonies.

Spring

At the beginning of the year, bees are emerging from winter. Spring is critical for encouraging brood development, as the queen will begin laying eggs more intensively to grow the colony. This is when your bees need high-protein pollen for strong brood rearing and energy-rich nectar to fuel the hive.

Herbs like rosemary, sage, and thyme bloom early in the season, offering your bees a much-needed source of protein-rich pollen and nectar right when it’s most important. These early blooms can give bees the necessary nutrients to build up their numbers quickly, giving them a head start.

Summer

As the year progresses into summer, bees are working hard to gather food for both the hive and honey production. Herbs like lavender, borage, and catmint become key nectar sources during this peak period. With their long flowering windows and abundant nectar production, these plants offer your bees reliable and rich forage that supports strong honey flows.

Bees are also more active in summer, so providing them with a wide range of herbaceous plants means that different bees in your colony, from honeybees to bumblebees, can find the forage that suits them best. For example, borage’s star-shaped flowers provide easy access to nectar for honeybees, while thyme produces smaller flowers that attract bumblebees. This variety is crucial for maximising your colony’s efficiency and honey yields.

Autumn

By autumn, many natural forage sources begin to decline, but your bees will still need energy reserves and continued support to prepare for the long winter months. Herbs like fennel, marjoram, and hyssop offer essential late-season nectar that helps bees store up resources for overwintering. Even in colder weather, these herbs can provide a vital final nectar flow before the hive enters its dormant phase.

A strong autumn forage foundation contributes to the health and resilience of your colony. By planting herbs that bloom late into the year, you can ensure your bees are well-prepared to survive the winter months with the strength to emerge strong in the spring.

Year-Round Benefits

In addition to providing immediate benefits during these critical seasons, many herbs also reseed or are perennial, ensuring they’ll return year after year. As a beekeeper, this means that your bees can rely on a sustainable, long-term source of nutrition from a bee-friendly garden with herbs, creating a self-sustaining cycle of forage that supports colony health year after year.

3. What herbs are Best for supporting healthy bees?

• Lavender

With their fragrant purple spires and long flowering window, lavender plants attract bees and butterflies. It's a top choice for bumblebees in particular, who are drawn to the abundance of nectar.

• Borage

Sometimes called a "bee magnet," borage produces bright blue star-shaped flowers that replenish nectar continuously, even after multiple visits. It's one of the few plants that flowers from early summer right through to the first frost.

• Catmint and Catnip

These hardy, aromatic herbs flower prolifically and are ideal for solitary bees and hoverflies. Their small, tubular flowers allow easy nectar access, while their compact form makes them ideal for borders or containers.

• Marjoram and Oregano

These herbs are real crowd-pleasers. They produce clusters of tiny flowers rich in nectar, drawing in butterflies, hoverflies, honeybees, and bumblebees.

• Thyme

Low-growing and often overlooked, thyme offers dense clusters of tiny pink or purple flowers that are perfect for honeybees. Plant in rockeries, pots, or paths for maximum accessibility.

• Hyssop

This hardy herb features upright spikes of blue, pink, or white flowers loved by bumblebees and honeybees.

• Chives

The round pom-pom blooms of chives are not only edible but also extremely attractive to early-season pollinators. Let them flower fully to get the best out of them for your bees.

• Fennel and Dill

These tall, umbel-flowered herbs create a striking presence in the garden. Their wide, flat blooms are a favourite landing platform for butterflies and hoverflies and support parasitic wasps that help control pests.

• Sage and Rosemary

Their aromatic flowers are rich in nectar and bloom early in the season when other food sources are scarce for pollinators.

• Echinacea

Often grouped with herbs for its medicinal uses, Echinacea's large daisy-like flowers are particularly loved by butterflies and native bees. They also add vibrant colour to the garden and continue blooming into late summer.

4. Bee-Friendly Gardens - the Role of Herbs in Keeping Healthy Bees. Summary.

Creating a bee-friendly garden is essential for supporting the health and productivity of every beekeeper's colonies. By planting nectar- and pollen-rich herbs, you can give your bees the resources they need to thrive, build resilience, and boost productivity. From the early spring blooms of rosemary and thyme to the late-season nectar of fennel and marjoram, herbs offer an essential, year-round food source for bees.

Whether you’re a hobbyist or a professional beekeeper, planting pollinator-friendly herbs can make a measurable difference in your bees' strength and longevity. To get started, check out our Bee Happy Box, a ready-to-go collection of twelve hand-picked herb plants that bees and other pollinators adore. Each plant in the Bee Happy Box is chosen for its ability to provide essential forage throughout the seasons.

5. FAQs. Bee-Friendly Herb Gardens.

Q: Do I need to let herbs flower for bees to benefit?

A: Yes. Allow herbs like thyme, oregano, and chives to bloom. You can alternate harvesting sections and letting others flower to balance kitchen use with pollinator support.

Q: Can herbs improve bee health?

A: Yes. Herbs provide a varied diet that supports immunity and gut health. Some herbs contain antimicrobial oils and polyphenols known to help bees fight disease.

Q1: Do all herbs attract pollinators?

A: Not all herbs are equally attractive. Nectar-rich varieties like lavender, thyme, chives, borage, rosemary and oregano are great pollinator magnets.

Q4: Should I allow herbs to flower or keep harvesting?

A: Let some herbs go to flower, especially in summer. You can balance harvesting with flowering to benefit both kitchen use and pollinators.

Trusted sources:

Sources:

1. Garbuzov, M. & Ratnieks, F.L.W. (2015). List of garden plants for pollinators in the UK and their relative attractiveness. University of Sussex / Journal of Insect Conservation.

2. Koch, H., Brown, M. (2012). Medicinal value of nectar and pollen phytochemicals for honey bee health. Royal Holloway, University of London / Current Opinion in Insect Science.

3. Baude, M. et al. (2016). Historical nectar assessment reveals the fall and rise of floral resources in Britain. CEH / Nature.