(NC) We don't all have a green thumb, but a beautiful flower garden doesn't have to be difficult. Planting a little patch of colour can be easy and rewarding, not just for us, but also for pollinators like honey bees. By following these tips, anyone can turn their outdoor space into an area that looks beautiful and helps feed hungry honey bees all summer long.

1. Your garden is like a buffet for honey bees. Plants reproduce through pollination. This occurs when pollen is transferred from one flowering plant to another. Moving the pollen is where honey bees come in. They use nectar and pollen as food for their hives, but in their travels they can also spread the pollen. Make sure you plant honey bee-attractive flowering plants that will bloom in your garden at different times throughout the summer.

2. Plant wherever you can. It doesn't matter if you live in a house or an apartment — whether it's on your balcony, on a rooftop or in your backyard — a small patch of flowers can help feed honey bees in your community. Consider plants native to Canada like lance-leaved coreopsis, sneezeweed, New England asters, dense blazing stars and golden tickseed.

3. Choose the right seeds. Researching the best plants for your area doesn't have to be a long and cumbersome process. Bees Matter offers free pollinator-friendly seeds with an online sign-up at www.beesmatter.ca. Using pre-packaged Buzzing Gardens seed kits can help make planting your garden quick and easy.

www.newscanada.com