Welcome to Filberts Bees
Here in Dorset, Filberts aims to create a growing range of products that offer an alternative to the norm, staying local, close to the land and natural.
Plants for Bees
We sometimes are asked why our beeswax lip balms and salves vary so much in colour. Well, to an extent, it's down to the oils and butters, which vary in colour. But much of the colour is due to the type of beeswax we select for particular products. The pollens used by the bees varies widely in colour and this affects the hue of the wax.
Over the winter we looked at the forage available to our bees and have added more fruit trees to our own garden, along with spring and summer flowering herbs like rosemary, lavender and thyme.
Try something from the list (it’s not exhaustive) if you’re looking for bee plants. There’s something for every size and type of garden, with flowers throughout the year. Looking for a gift for a gardener? Try our gift tins - seeds, candles, hand salve and propolis salve - in a pocket-sized tin ideal for saving seeds.
| Shrubs, bushes and climbers | ||
|---|---|---|
| Abelia | Daphne | Mexican Orange (Choisya) |
| Berberis | Deutzia | Mock Orange (philadelphus) |
| Boston ivy (Parthenocissus) | Dogwood (Cornus alba) | Osmanthus |
| Box (Buxus sempervirens) | Escallonia | Perovskia atriplicifolia |
| Broom (Cytisus) | Fuchsia | Potentilla |
| Buddleia (including globosa) | Heather (Calluna and Erica) | Privet (Ligustrum) |
| Caryopteris | Hebe | Pyracantha |
| Ceanothus | Hypericum | Rock rose (Helianthemum) |
| Cherry laurel (Prunus) | Ivy (Hedera helix) | Rose – singles, semi-doubles |
| Christmas box (Sarcococca) | Japanese quince (Chaenomeles) | Snowberry (Symphoricarpos) |
| Cistus | Lilac (single flowers, short tubes) | Viburnum |
| Clematis (avoid double species) | Lonicera purpusii (winter flowers) | Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus) |
| Cotoneaster | Lonicera japonica (short flowers) | Weigela |
| Daisy bush (Olearia) | Mahonia aquifolium | |
| Trees | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fruit trees, including almond, apple, crabapple, cherry, including single-flowered ornamental types, medlar, peach, nectarine, pear, plum, quince | ||
| Acacia and False Acacia | Holly (Ilex aquifolium) | Mountain ash (Sorbus aucuparia) |
| Alder | Horse/Sweet Chestnut (Aesculus) | Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) |
| Amelanchier (Snowy Mespilus) | Indian bean tree (Catalpa) | Sycamore (Acer) |
| Bay Laurel(Laurus nobilis) | Judas tree (Cercis siliquastrum) | Tulip tree (Liriodendron) |
| Blackthorn | Laburnum | Whitebeam (Sorbus aria) |
| Hawthorn (Crataegus) | Lime | Willows |
| Hazel (Corylus) | Maple (Acer) | |
| Bulbs, corms, tubers | ||
|---|---|---|
| Allium | Fritillaries | Siberian squill (Scilla siberica) |
| Alstroemeria | Glory of the snow (Chionodoxa) | Snowdrop |
| Anemone | Grape hyacinth (Muscari) | Snowflakes - spring and summer |
| Autumn crocus (Colchicum) | Hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis) | Winter aconite (Eranthis) |
| Crocus | ||
| Herbs (some listed under wild flowers) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Alexanders (Smyrnium) | Clary Sage | Marjoram (Origanum) |
| Anise hyssop (Agastache) | Fennel | Mint |
| Bergamot | Feverfew | Rosemary |
| Betony (Stachys officinalis) | Hyssop | Sage |
| Borage | Lavender | Soapwort |
| Catmint (Nepeta) | Lemon balm (Melissa) | Tansy |
| Chicory | Linseed | Thyme |
| Chives | ||
Further reading
Fountain, M F, Day, R, Quartley, C & Goatcher, A (1992) “Garden Plants Valuable to Bees” (International Bee Research Association)
Hooper, T & Taylor, M (2006) “The Bee Friendly Garden” (A & I Ltd)
Howes, F N (1979) “Plants and Beekeeping” (Faber & Faber)
Our Products
Based in Dorset, we have created a unique range of natural beeswax lip balms and skin salves using only 100% natural ingredients.
About Us
We keep around 50 bee hives across Dorset. At the home apiary, the bees forage on local flowers and farm crops.
About Filberts Bees
About Bees
Bees – bumble and honey bees - need a continuous source of food from early in the year through to the frosts.
About Bees
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