Verbascum olympicum

I love the towering spires of verbascum. The bees are mad about it too.

I'm not so mad about bees as I suffer a severe reaction to bee stings.

I have a large drift of echium vulgare, every time I walk past it, the thrum of busy bees is very loud. Of all the plants I've encouraged for the benefit of the bees only the echium and verbascum attract the numbers of bees I've hoped for. Our bee colonies were attacked by a disease causing hive collapse and the use of neonics in the local agriculture at the same time. double whammy! Last year there were only the large bumbles and virtually no honeybees. Things have improved this year. Amen!