Be friends with bees, we here at Central Square Florist say. Why? Well for starters, they pollinate 80% of all flowering plants, including 90 of the most-consumed food crops. Like avocados? Apples? Mango? Coffee? You have bees to thank. Without these efficient little workers, we’d have a very sad planet indeed. The story of bees is fascinating, and it inevitably involves flowers. It’s a romance, in fact.

Bees love certain flowers more than others, though it’s probably more accurate to say that some flowers seek to enchant bees. Which ones are preferred? They tend to be purple, blue, white or yellow, colors that capitalize on bees’ ability to see ultraviolet light and not red. Flowers that yield more nectar than others are also popular, and the ones that employ a visual guidance system through color, leading bees straight to the nectar source? Those are the most beloved of all. So in our garden-inspired design You’re My Sunshine, for instance, sunflowers and snapdragons would be the most appealing to bees. 

While we encourage you to plant a bee-friendly garden, we also know that isn’t always possible. So instead, be a supporter and patron of local honey suppliers and other growers. Offer to help in community gardens, and support local farmers. Buy flowers, and let them help you always feel connected to nature, inspired to preserve it.