I love bees. I love to sit and watch them. They are indeed very busy. Right now they love to pay attention to the Cranesbill. It is flowering like crazy. It is considered a hardy, perennial geranium and will grow anywhere. Doesn't seem to like humid weather.
Full sun or partial shade, it tends to overpopulate. You will have to keep track of it, or it will take over your garden.
It is good for the rock garden as well as pots. I tend to keep mind in pots, some on the ground. It attracts bees as long as it flowers.
If you pinch the ends of the spent flowers you will get more flowers.
Almost pest free. Spider mites will bother some varieties, but not many. Good as a cut flower.
Certain diseases will attack it, like powdery mildew and black rot. but I've never had any problem with it in the garden.
Good companion flowers to have near it would be Campanula ( bellflower), Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla), and Coral Bells ( Heuchera)
When the plant has done flowering it must be cut down all the way to the ground to help stop any self seeding. Though, every year I tend to find baby cranesbill here and there.
The experts say it is good to have a wide variety of flowers, perennials, and annuals, in your garden to attract the bees as much as possible. Some flowers have become sterile and do not heop out the cause of the bee. Never use peticides, always have a variety of colours in the flowers you choose, planting them in groups, rather than individually.
Bees prefer sun to shade, and areas that are protected with trees and walls or fences. Heirloom varieties of herbs and flowers can provide excellent foraging for bees. You'll be able to sit in the garden and hear them hummm and buzzzzz all summer long.
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