Every now and then someone on the list asks for suggestions for things to
plant that will be attractive to bees.  In general my view is that,
unless you are prepared to plant on a semi-agricultural scale (or put in
trees), it isn't worth while to plant specially because it's rare for many
bees to be recruited to a small source, even it it is potentially high
quality forage.
 
However, the following observation might be of interest.  Just outside my
back door at home there is a single sage plant (Salvia sylvestris) which
is presently in flower.  It's only about 1m in extent but over the weekend
it was astonishingly attractive to all sorts of nectar gathering insects.
There was one time when I observed simultaneously not only honey bees but
also a number of examples of two species of solitary bees, three species
of bumble bees, butterflies and even a couple of moths.  I should think at
least 50 insects of one species or another.  (Even once the evening came
and the bees went home, the night shift - moths - took over force.  There
must have been 20 or 30 on the plant at the same time.)
 
I can't say whether sage would be a good choice elsewhere but where I live
(SW England) it would seem to be a good candidate for a bee plant.
 
--
Malcolm Roe            [log in to unmask]
                       Hewlett-Packard Laboratories Bristol
                       Filton Road, Stoke Gifford, Bristol, BS12 6QZ, UK
                       Tel: +44 117 922 9331       Fax: +44 117 922 8128