Allium and bees

lovely photo!

Thanks - I have about 50 of these Alliums, and every one had bees on it! The flower bed was buzzing. :-))

Which sort is this Spritz? Quite late flowering?

Allium sphaerocephalon, Tet. They look like punctuation marks in the flower bed - they're tall, and they wave about and I love 'em as much as the bees do. :-))

Well I should have known..have grown these before but mine looked less "pointy" and were gone by early summer!
Even tho I put labels in, I do lose track of bulbs and either the slugs get them or Ken comes across them while digging and altho he throws them back, they never seem to appear again.

Hmmm...you'll have to try again. There was an elephant hawk moth on them this morning! :-D)

thinking about it mine haven't reappeared this year. another mystery loss.

I'd rather I didn't have the moth...the caterpillar was bad enough...enormous!

But they're such fascinating creatures!

Poor you, Sbg. :-(

so many plants i'm finding out attract bees, apart from those on the standard lists - noting them all ...

These Alliums are never without bees.

that moves them right up the list!

Well worth planting in the autumn, Fran. I plant them in groups of 5 or 7.

thanks Spritz. Mine would have to go in pots, so they'd get one each, but I could group them

Much better planted in groups - the bulbs are tiny, so you'll be able to get them into pots together, and then put other plants on top so the Alliums pop up through the planting. Magic! :-))

oh, right, thanks. I'm paranoid about overcrowding plants, making them compete for resources - those overflowing hanging baskets and troughs do look good, but the plants must need constant care to stop them getting too stressed - especially when I've got my other head on and forget to check them every day

Well, you don't need to worry about these Alliums. :-)

By the way, I've been meaning to tell you - my Agastaches 'Blue Boa' and 'Purple Licquorice' have attracted sooooooo many butterflies and bees - I counted nine butterflies and seven bees on the same plant yesterday morning! They should be on your list, I think, don't you?

going right on it!! thanks, will look out for photos

I'm not sure if I took any - I'll see. Otherwise, have a google. They're great plants. :-)

lovely capture...

I've just started a "GoY bee and buterfly plant list" - the plants you mention are on it, Spritz, and it'll be handy for adding to. Now I really do have a list to put things on! thanks

You're welcome. Jane found a blog I wrote called 'Butterfly Magnets' - I'd forgotten! That might interest you, Fran.

heading that way right now! thanks

You're welcome. :-)