Penstemon barbatus hybrids, dwarf forms of Rudbeckia fulgida, Aspen Daisy (Erigeron speciosus), Coreopsis verticillata, Cushion Mums, Iberis sempervirens, and Amsonia species?

Cheers.
Penstemon I like, but they rarely survive our winters,sad really.
Really dislike Chrysanthemums in any shape or form.

Penstemon barbatus is one of the most hardy, growing to 3000 meters elevation in Arizona. The hybrids are a little less hardy, but should still be good to USDA zone 5b.
Too bad about Mums. I prefer the more compact daisy type myself, since they are lower maintenance, and are better for the pollinators.

Teucrium x lucidrys is the most popular plant in my garden with bees at present.

What about Heucheras? They come with different coloured leaves (I particularly like the lime and apricot ones) and the bees like the flowers. Also, if the border gets sunlight you could plant lavender which attracts both bees and butterflies.

Tried all sorts of Penstemons over the years and now all we have left are some of the really low growing alpine ones.
Heucheras for some reason do not survive for very long here.
Lavender is too much of a fussy plant for us. It needs far too much attention. The ones we have rarely survive more than a couple of seasons too.
Got a few different Teucrium, might try them. Also Hyssop and Stachys too.
Thanks.

Golden marjoram in the front of the border?

Oh no. That stuff is almost as bad as the geraniums. It is one of the plants to be removed when I re-plant that border. It seeds everywhere, even in the grass paths.

Does it? It doesn't here. But you did say you wanted bee friendly plants...

phlox, verbena hastata, helenium, knautia, scabiosa , herbaceous mallows, echinops, dwarf asters; these are all doing well in the garden for me and are certainly a hit with the bees etc

Great. Let's see. Phlox paniculata here get to well over a metre.
Verbena hastata died in the winter.
Heleniums again grow to well over a metre and most of the ones we have bought over the years have died now.
Knautia and Scabious again get to well over 4 feet tall for us.
Echinops and Dwarf Asters we have elsewhere so I can move them across.
Sidalcea are mallow like plants and we have some of them too so they can be moved.
Trouble is we have tried all sorts of things in this border over the years and removed many because they did not work.

This reminds me of an old Home Service gardening programme (Radio 4 to you young 'uns). Some one was asking about a difficult gardening problem and the reply (in a slow Westcountry accent) was "My advice to you would be to cover it with a thick layer of concrete...)Was it Fred Loads?
Looks as though you might be stuck with some "well behaved" geraniums after all...

I remember that piece of advice as well.
I have some big forms of Armeria (A. Ballerina and A pseudarmeria, both 18 inches tall and long flowering) I might put some of those in. Pity we have such problems with Hemerocallis gall mite or I would use some of the dwarfer ones of that.
Got lots of different Geums, so they can go in as well.
Might try Iberis and Alyssum saxatile as well. Got lots of Dianthus forms, they might do.

I was thinking of the smaller scabious [bigger than the alpine ones and not as tall as some, just cant remember its name.;o)]and there are smaller phlox now that don't get above 2ft. same with some A japonica newer varieties. [Pashmina rings a bell]
what about Symphndra xIran , Campanula lots of species might do, or do they get too tall?
Achillea ptarmiga the pearl? any of the achillea in fact.

do you fancy dwarf lilies or Dahlias?

Don't forget you can always give tall perennials that flower in summer the 'Chelsea Chop' to keep them smaller.

How about Sedums - goes well with Liriope.