Ivydene Gardens Plants:
Bee Pollinated Plants for Hay Fever Sufferers List
for Plants above
72 inches (180 cms) in Height

See Wildflower Garden Use Page for other bee-pollinated or insect-pollinated list of plants.

If a plant is polinated by a bee, then it is not wind-pollinated. This means that the plants mentioned on this page and in the book "Garden Plants Valuable to Bees" (written by the International Bee Research Association) will be suitable for people who suffer from hay fever.

You can compare the flower colour of the bee-pollinated plants with all the other bee-pollinated plants (who have Plant Description Pages in this website) using the Bee-pollinated 12 colours of Bloom in each Month Gallery. There are also 218 additional bee-pollinated plants (who may not have any Plant Description Page in this website) in the 12 colours per month pages of the Bee-pollinated Index Gallery.

The importance of garden plants yielding nectar and pollen is that together they provide a continuous food supply - from willows and crocuses in early spring to ivy in late autumn. Colonies of bees need food through their active season , so that they can develop and rear new bees. This food supply used to be provided by pastures that came into flower before they were cut, by verges and hedgerows, and by abundant weeds. Nowadays the efficiency of agriculture has greatly reduced these resources for the bees.

The list for gardens exclude most crop plants, most fruits and all very invasive plants that are difficult to control.

It is designed for Britain, Ireland, Denmark, Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands.

"Ordinary garden soil" is pH 5-7 and contains some humus-forming material.

The report below details which plants in Greater San Francisco Bay Area Region of the USA were visited by each different bee family; and therefore will aid you in selection of plants that are bee-pollinated rather than wind-pollinated, besides the ones that I have listed in my table below:-

RECORD OF NATIVE BEES FOUND IN THE GREATER SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA REGION, WITH SOME OF THEIR LIKELY PLANT HOSTS

Compiled by Laura Arneson

Landscape Noise Reduction

Road Noise, Airport Noise, Industrial Units and Railway Noise next to gardens is detrimental to humans living in those houses within those gardens. There are 4 methods commonly used for sound attenuation (the reduction of intensity of outdoor sounds before they reach the receiver) :-

• Sound Absorption. This method uses plants to entrap or absorb sound vibrations.
• Sound Deflection and Reflection. This method causes the noise to be bounced away from the recipient and sometimes back toward the source.
• Sound Refraction. This little known effect occurs when noise is dissipated, diffused or dispersed by striking a rough surface on any plain.
• White Noise. It is designed to create sound that is appealing to the human brain as a mask for undesirable noise. The most widely used method is a fountain that makes loud splashes.

Using these bee-pollinated plants between estates in the public ambling area and between the houses/gardens and the noise will reduce that relevant noise level using the Sound Absorption Method; and be suitable for everyone including Hay Fever sufferers:-

• 1. Install chain link fence on strong supports with 12 inch (30 cms) gap at bottom (to allow local wildlife - hedgehogs, foxes, badgers, frogs and newts access) and 48 inch (120 cms) chainlink between 12 and 60 inch (30 and 150 cms) from ground on estate boundary. Add 4th Line Wire on top links to prevent that chainlink from sagging. Plant ivy, Rosa with it's 'Single Flowers' cultivars (see below) and thornless blackberries so that they can then climb onto that chainlink fencing within the inside of that public ambling area.
• 2. Plant mixture of bulbs, evergreen perennials, herbaceous perennials, deciduous shrubs, evergreen shrubs, which grow between 18 and 96 inches (45 and 240 cms) high - add the eventual width of a pair and divide that by 2 as the planting distance between them. This combined with their different heights will produce a random effect in this minimum-width of 96 inches (240 cms) area and 72 inch width (180 cms) of area 4. It is also most likely that viewing from one side to the estate boundary, you are unlikely to see the bottom of the chainlink. Use 30% evergreen and the rest is herbaceous/deciduous to provide a change throughout the year for the estate inhabitants to enjoy on their rambles. The blackberries on the estate boundary and the fruit from each of the 3 cherries, 3 apple and 3 pear for each estate can either be enjoyed by the humans or the wildlife. Mulch the area with 4 inch thick (10 cms) of Bark before planting and thoroughly soak the ground after planting. Then, sow White Clover (see Green Manure) over the whole of both areas 2 and 4 to provide Nitrogen to the other plants and reduce evaporation of the irrigated water in between the 2 soakings each year.
  Thoroughly soak the ground in August to provide the shrubs and fruit trees with the water to be stored in their roots and then be used during the spring foliage production. Thoroughly soak the ground again in April to provide their water supply during the later spring and summer.
• 3. 48 inch wide (120 cms) path using Cedargravel. After the Cedargravel is installed, use different coloured pea-shingle to create games like snakes and ladders, hopscotch or noughts and crosses or a picture. This path allows the rain to drain through and be used by the plants on either side. If you wear women's high heels, you will have no problem walking on this path. You can also use it for remote-controlled model cars or landing remote-control model aircraft.
• 4. A repeat of of 2. without the blackberries or fruit trees - If the fruit is only on the other side of the path, then the fruit pickers will not be tempted to try the home owners side.
• 5. Install chain link fence on strong supports with 72 inch (180 cms) chainlink on top of ground level on private garden boundary. Add 4th Line Wire on top links to prevent that chainlink from sagging. Plant ivy so that it can then climb onto that chainlink fencing from inside the public ambling area.

If the house owner has a noise problem from outside their property, then they can use the same solution as above using 1, 2, 3 and 4 only. Their sheds and storage facilities can be installed in area 4 with path 3. leading to them.

Single flowered cultivars (some are marked as 'Single Flowers') are more useful to bees than double flowered cultivars.
Bloom type depends on the number of petals for Roses:-

• Single blooms are fully opened and almost flat, consisting of 1-7 petals per bloom.
• Semi-double blooms consist of 8-15 petals in two rows.
• Double blooms consist of 16-25 overlapping petals in three or more rows.
• Full: 26-40 petals in three or more rows.
• Very full: 40+ petals in three or more rows.

The list is sorted in the following table under the height of plant range:-

Below 2 feet - 24 inches (60 cms) - in height
Between 2 and 6 feet - 24 and 72 inches (60 and 180 cms) - in height
Above 6 feet - 72 inches (180 cms) - in height

 

The final column shows the value of the plant to bees (honeybees and hive bees):

• N and P indicate that they collect Nectar and Pollen, respectively.
• Plants especially used by Bumble Bees are marked B.
• The absence of all 3 entries (N,P,B) for a few plants reflects insufficiency of observations as to what it is that bees collect from that plant.
   

Common Name

Flowering Months of Plant Named but not "and it's cultivars"

Flowering Colour of Plant Named but not "and it's cultivars"

Plant Type
(Per = Perennial) with link to
Plant Description Page,
Companion Planting Page, Rock Garden Index Page
and/or Wildlife Family Page in this website

Comment

Acer campestre

Maple

May-Jun

180 x 120 (450 x 300)

Wildflower ,

N P

Acer capillipes

360 x 300 (900 x 750)

N P

Acer griseum

360 x 360 (900 x 900)

N P

Acer negundo 'Flamingo'

300 x 300 (750 x 750)

N P

Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum'

144 x 144 (360 x 360)

N P

Acer palmatum 'Senkaki'

240 x 180 (600 x 450)

N P

Acer platanoides and it's cultivars

960 x 600 (2400 x 1500)

N P

Acer pseudoplatanus

Sycamore

May-Jun

1200 x 960 (3000 x 2400)

Wildflower ,

N P B

Aesculus carnea and it's cultivars

840 x 600 (2100 x 1500)

N P

Aesculus hippocastanum

960 x 840 (2400 x 2100)

N P B

Aesculus indica and it's cultivars

600 x 600 (1500 x 1500)

N P

Aesculus pavia and it's cultivars

180 x 120 (450 x 300)

N P

Actinidia kolomikta

180 x indefinite
(450 x indefinite)

.

Ailanthus altissima

960 x 600 (2400 x 1500)

N P

Alnus cordata

960 x 240 (2400 x 600)

P

Alnus glutinosa and it's cultivars

Alder

Mar-Apr

960 x 360 (2400 x 900)

Wildflower ,

P B

Alnus incana and it's cultivars

840 x 360 (2100 x 900)

P

Amelanchier laevis

240 x 240 (600 x 600)

P

Amelianchier lamarckii

276 x 240 (690 x 600)

P

Aralia elata

360 x 360 (900 x 900)

N

Arbutus unedo and it's cultivars

Straw-
berry-Tree

Aug to first frosts

300 x 300 (750 x 750)

Wildflower ,

N P

Berberis darwinii and it's cultivars

144 x 144 (360 x 360)

N P B

Berberis julianae

96 x 120 (240 x300)

N P B

Berberis prattii

120 x 120 (300 x 300)

N P B

Berberis x stenophylla and it's cultivars

96 x 96 (240 x 240)

N P B

Berberis thunbergii and it's cultivars

24 x 96 (60 x 240)

N P B

Betula and it's cultivars

Birch

960 x 360 (2400 x 900)

Wildflower ,
Companions

P

Buddleia davidii 'Black Knight'

Buddleia

Jul to first frosts

180 x 180 (450 x 450)

Wildflower ,

N B

Buddleia davidii 'Royal Red'

Buddleia

Jul to first frosts

180 x 180 (450 x 450)

Wildflower ,

N B

Buddleia davidii 'White Profusion'

Buddleia

Jul to first frosts

180 x 180 (450 x 450)

Wildflower ,

N B

Buddleia globosa

180 x 180 (450 x 450)

N B

Buxus sempervirens and it's cultivars

Box

Mar-May

180 x 180 (450 x 450)

Wildflower ,

N P

Caragana arborescens and it's cultivars

240 x 144 (600 x 360)

N P B

Castanea sativa and it's cultivars

Sweet Chestnut or Spanish Chestnut

1200 x 600 (3000 x 1500)

Wildflower ,

N P

Catalpa bignonioides and it's cultivars

600 x 600 (1500 x 1500)

N P B

Ceanothus 'Autumnal Blue'

120 x 96 (300 x 240)

N P B

Ceanothus 'Spring flowering cultivars'

96 x 96 (240 x 240)

N P B

Cercis siliquastrum

360 x 324 (900 x 810)

N P

Chaenomeles speciosa 'Moerloosei'

96 x 180 (240 x 450)

N P B

Chaenomeles speciosa 'Nivalis'

96 x 180 (240 x 450)

N P B

Chaenomeles speciosa 'Port Eliot'

96 x 180 (240 x 450)

N P B

Chaenomeles speciosa 'Snow'

96 x 180 (240 x 450)

N P B

Chaenomeles speciosa 'Umbilicata'

96 x 180 (240 x 450)

N P B

Clematis armandii and it's cultivars

144 x 96 (360 x 240)

,
Companions

P

Clematis montana and it's cultivars

360 x 96 (900 x 240)

,
Companions

N P

Clematis montana 'Elizabeth'

360 x 96 (900 x 240)

,
Companions

N P

Clematis montana grandiflora 'Alba'

360 x 96 (900 x 240)

,
Companions

N P

Clematis montana var. rubens

360 x 96 (900 x 240)

,
Companions

N P

Colutea arborescens

Bladder Senna

Jun-Aug

120 x 120 (300 x 300)

Wildflower ,

N P B

Cornus alba and it's cultivars

120 x 120 (300 x 300)

N P

Cornus mas and it's cultivars

180 x 180 (450 x 450)

N P B

Cotoneaster x 'Cornubia'

240 x 240 (600 x 600)

N P B

Cotoneaster franchetii

120 x 120 (300 x 300)

N P B

Cotoneaster frigidus

360 x 360 (900 x 900)

N P B

Cotoneaster salicifolius and its cultivars

180 x 180 (450 x 450)

N P B

Cotoneaster simonsii

Khasia Berry

May-Jul

96 x 72 (240 x 180)

Wildflower ,

N P B

Cotinus coggygria 'Flame'

144 x 144 (360 x 360)

N

Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple'

144 x 144 (360 x 360)

N

Cotoneaster lacteus

120 x 96 (300 x 240)

N P B

Crataegus crus-galli

300 x 360 (750 x 900)

N P B

Crataegus laevigata and it's cultivars

300 x 300 (750 x 750)

N P

Crataegus monogyna and it's cultivars

Hawthorn

May-Jun

360 x 300 (900 x 750)

Wildflower ,

N P

Crataegus persimilis 'Prunifolia'

300 x 360 (750 x 900)

N P

Deutzia scabra

120 x 72 (300 x 180)

P

Eleagnus pungens and its cultivars

144 x 180 (360 x 450)

B

Erica erigena and its cultivars

Irish Heath, Mediter-ranean Heath

96 x 36 (240 x 90)

Heather

N P B

Escallonia 'Apple Blossom'

84 x 96 (210 x 240)

N B

Escallonia 'Donard Radiance'

84 x 96 (210 x 240)

N B

Escallonia 'Donard Seedling'

96 x 96 (240 x 240)

N B

Escallonia macrantha rubra

144 x 144 (360 x 360)

N B

Fagus sylvatica and it's cultivars

Beech

Apr-May

960 x 600 (2400 x 1500)

Wildflower ,
Companions

P

Fraxinus and it's cultivars

Ash

Apr-May

1200 x 840 (3000 x 2100)

Wildflower ,

P

Garrya eliptica and it's cultivars

144 x 144 (360 x 360)

P

Genista aetnensis

300 x 300 (750 x 750)

B

Hamamelis japonica and its cultivars

144 x 144 (360 x 360)

P

Hamamelis mollis 'Pallida'

144 x 120 (360 x 300)

P

Hamamelis mollis and its cultivars

144 x 144 (360 x 360)

P

Hebe salicifolia

96 x 96 (240 x 240)

N B

Hedera helix var. hibernica

Ivy

360 x 240 (900 x 600)

Wildflower ,

N P B

Hippophae rhamnoides

Sea-Buckthorn

Apr-May

240 x 240 (600 x 600)

Wildflower ,

B

Hydrangea anomala ssp. Petiolaris

600 x 240 (1500 x 600)

N

Ilex aquifolium 'Handsworth New Silver'

Holly

300 x 180 (750 x 450)

Wildflower ,

N P

Ilex aquifolium 'Pyramidalis'

Holly

240 x 180 (600 x 450)

Wildflower ,

N P

Ilex crenata 'Golden Gem'

180 x 120 (450 x 300)

N P

Ilex x altaclerensis 'Golden King'

240 x 180 (600 x 450)

N P

Koelreuteria paniculata and it's cultivars

360 x 360 (900 x 900)

N

Kolkwitzia amabilis and its cultivars

120 x 144 (300 x 360)

...

Laurus nobilis

480 x 360 (1200 x 900)

N B

Ligustrum ovalifolium

144 x 144 (360 x 360)

N P B

Liquidambar styraciflua and it's cultivars

960 x 480 (2400 x 1200)

N

Liriodendron tulipifera and it's cultivars

1200 x 600 (3000 x 1500)

N P

Magnolia denudata

360 x 360 (900 x 900)

P

Magnolia grandiflora and its cultivars

360 x 600 (900 x 1500)

P

Magnolia kobus

480 x 360 (1200 x 900)

P

Magnolia x soulangeana and its cultivars

240 x 240 (600 x 600)

P B

Magnolia stellata 'King Rose'

84 x 72 (210 x 180)

P B

Mahonia japonica and its cultivars

84 x 120 (210 x 300)

N P B

Malus 'John Downie'

312 x 240 (780 x 600)

,
Companions

N P B

Malus 'Royalty'

336 x 300 (840 x 750)

,
Companions

N P B

Malus toringoides

300 x 360 (750 x 900)

,
Companions

N P B

Malus x zumi 'Golden Hornet'

312 x 276 (780 x 690)

,
Companions

N P B

Malus and it's cultivars

300 x 300 (750 x 750)

,
Companions

N P B

Mespilus germanica and its cultivars

Medlar

May-Jun

240 x 300 (600 x 750)

Wildflower ,

N P B

Nothofagus procera

960 x 600 (2400 x 1500)

P

Osmanthus delavayi

144 x 144 (360 x 360)

...

Osmanthus heterophyllus 'Variegatus'

96 x 120 (240 x 300)

...

Parthenocissus quinquefolia

600 x 300 (1500 x 750)

N P B

Philadelphus coronarius 'Aureus'

96 x 60 (240 x 150)

N P B

Photinia villosa

180 x 180 (450 x 450)

...

Populus nigra and it's cultivars

Black Poplar

Mar-Apr

1440 x 840 (3600 x 2100)

Wildflower ,

P

Populus tremula and it's cultivars

Aspen

Mar

840 x 360 (2100 x 900)

Wildflower ,

P

Prunus avium

Wild Cherry

Apr-May

840 x 360 (2100 x 900)

Wildflower ,

N P B

Prunus cerasifera 'Pissardii'

Cherry-Plum

Mar

360 x 360 (900 x 900)

Wildflower ,

N P

Prunus dulcis

300 x 300 (750 x 750)

N P B

Prunus laurocerasus and its cultivars

300 x 360 (750 x 900)

N P

Prunus lusitanica and its cultivars

840 x 840 (2100 x 2100)

N P

Prunus padus and it's cultivars

Bird Cherry

May

600 x 360 (1500 x 900)

Wildflower ,

N P B

Prunus persica 'Single Flowers' varieties

Nectarine, Peach

300 x 300 (750 x 750)

,
Companions

N P B

Prunus sargentii and it's cultivars

840 x 600 (2100 x 1500)

N P B

Prunus serrulata

360 x 360 (900 x 900)

N P B

Prunus spinosa

Blackthorn

Apr-May

180 x 144 (450 x 360)

Wildflower ,

N P B

Prunus subhirtella 'Autumnalis'

300 x 300 (750 x 750)

N P

Prunus x yedoensis and it's cultivars

600 x 360 (1500 x 900)

N P B

Prunus x hillieri 'Spire'

360 x 180 (900 x 450)

N P

Pyracantha 'Orange Glow'

180 x 120 (450 x 300)

N P B

Pyracantha 'Red Column'

96 x 72 (240 x 180)

N P B

Pyracantha 'Teton'

144 x 144 (360 x 360)

N P B

Pyracantha rogersiana 'Flava'

120 x 120 (300 x 300)

N P B

Pyracantha and its cultivars

120 x 120 (300 x 300)

N P B

Quercus and it's cultivars

Oak

Apr-May

360 x 360 (900 x 900)

Wildflower ,
Companions

P

Rhamnus cathartica

Common Buckthorn

May-Jun

240 x 180 (600 x 450)

Wildflower ,

N P

Rhamnus frangula

180 x 180 (450 x 450)

N P

Rhus glabra

96 x 96 (240 x 240)

N P

Rhus typhina

180 x 240 (450 x 600)

N P

Robinia pseudoacacia and it's cultivars

960 x 600 (2400 x 1500)

N P B

Rubus odoratus

96 x 96 (240 x 240)

N P

Rubus x tridel 'Benenden'

120 x 120 (300 x 300)

N P

Salix aegyptiaca

144 x 180 (360 x 450)

N P B

Salix alba and it's cultivars

White Willow

Apr-May

960 x (2400 x )

Wildflower ,

N P B

Salix fragilis

Crack Willow

Apr

600 x 600 (1500 x 1500)

Wildflower ,

N P B

Salix purpurea

Purple Willow

Mar-Apr

180 x 180 (450 x 450)

Wildflower ,

N P B

Schrizophragma integrifolium

480 x 240 (1200 x 600)

N

Solanum crispum and it's cultivars

240 x 120 (600 x 300)

N

Sorbus aria and it's cultivars

White Beam

May-Jun

360 x 360 (900 x 900)

Wildflower ,

N P

Sorbus aucuparia and it's cultivars

Rowan

May-Jun

600 x 268 (1500 x 660)

Wildflower ,

N P B

Sorbus hupehensis and it's cultivars

300 x 300 (750 x 750)

N P

Sorbus intermedia

Cut-leaved White Beam

480 x 480 (1200 x 1200)

Wildflower ,

N

Staphylea and its cultivars

180 x 180 (450 x 450)

N P

Syringa and its cultivars

180 x 144 (450 x 360)

P

Tamarix ramosissima and its cultivars

180 x 180 (450 x 450)

N P

Tilia x euchlora

840 x 600 (2100 x 1500)

N P B

Ulmus and it's cultivars

Elm

840 x 480 (2100 x 1200)

Wildflower ,

P

Viburnum opulus and its cultivars

Guelder Rose

Jun-Jul

180 x 144 (450 x 360)

Wildflower ,

N

Viburnum plicatum f. tomentosum

120 x 144 (300 x 360)

N P

Viburnum tinus 'Eve Price'

96 x 84 (240 x 210)

P

Viburnum tinus

120 x 120 (300 x 300)

P

Vitis and it's cultivars

480 x 120 (1200 x 300)

,
Companions

N P

Weigela 'Bristol Ruby'

96 x 72 (240 x 180)

N B

Wisteria sinensis and it's cultivars

336 x 168 (840 x 420)

N P B

Site design and content copyright ©December 2006. Page structure changed September 2012. External and Internal links added May 2015. Data added to existing pages December 2017. Chris Garnons-Williams.

DISCLAIMER: Links to external sites are provided as a courtesy to visitors. Ivydene Horticultural Services are not responsible for the content and/or quality of external web sites linked from this site.  

Height in inches (cms):-

25.4mm = 1 inch
304.8mm = 12 inches
12 inches = 1 foot
3 feet = 1 yard
914.4mm = 1 yard

I normally round this to
25mm = 1 inch
300mm = 30 cms = 12 inches =1 foot,
900 mm = 3 feet = 1 yard and
1000mm = 100 cms = 1 metre = 40 inches

The bee can pollinate the flower, which can then produce a seed. Hymn 881 then instructs the seed:-

Push, little seed,
push, push, little seed,
till your head pops out of the ground.
This is the air,
and now you are there
you can have a look round.
You'll see God's sky,
you'll see God's sun,
you'll feel his raindrops one by one,
as you grow, grow, grow, grow,
grow to be wheat for bread.
So push, little seed,
push, push, little seed,
that the world may be fed.

For my recommendation on what to do with your prunings, kitchen scraps and grass mowings see Compost Bins in Companion Planting Page C, instead of composting them in a small 1 cubic yard domestic garden compost bin.