Last year I planted the Five Dollar Bee Garden to show how inexpensively a bee garden could be created. I got what I paid for, which wasn't much. I wanted to see if soil and seeds from a local one-dollar per item store could do the job and unfortunately they did not. Poor seed germination and plant growth made the Five Dollar Bee Garden a failure.
This year I stepped it up a notch and planted the Nine Dollar Bee Garden. Soil and seeds from name-brand companies sold at local garden centers cost $3.99 and $3.49 respectively. I did find a nice grow bag for $1 from the discount center used for last year's soil and seeds. My total cost with tax was just over $9 and so far the extra $4 investment has been worth it: just a week after planting, this year's garden has already germinated.
Seeds in this year's garden are listed below. This was sold as a pollinator mix; these are all good bee plants.
Baby blue eyes (Nemophila menziesii). This is an annual California native that blooms in late winter and early spring.
Blanket flower (Gaillardia aristata). This is a perennial native to the Southwest that is the parent of the many blanket flower hybrids seen in garden centers. Blooms in summer.
Blue flax (Linum lewisii). This is a perennial California native that blooms in spring and summer.
California bluebell (Phacelia campanularia). This is an annual California native that blooms in late winter and early spring.
Farewell-to-spring (Clarkia amoena). This is an annual California native that blooms in late spring and early summer.
Globe gilia (Gilia capitata). This is an annual California native that blooms in spring.
Plains coreopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria). This is an annual native to the Midwest that blooms in summer and fall.
Prairie coneflower (Ratibida columnifera). This is a perennial native to the Midwest that blooms in summer and fall.
Yellow lupine (Lupinus densiflorus). This is an annual California native that blooms in spring.
Sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima). This annual is native to the Mediterranean and blooms nearly year-round. Re-seeds freely and can spread.
Lance leaf coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata). This perennial blooms in spring and summer and is native to the eastern and southern US.
Wallflower (Cherianthus allonii). This Mediterranean native is a short-lived perennial that blooms in late winter and early spring.
Container gardens are a great way to provide for bees if you're in an apartment or are otherwise limited in your gardening resources.