October is a good time for planning and planting spring bulbs that will benefit honey bees and other pollinators in the early spring.

For our East Jefferson County hardiness zones, which are typically 8a, 8b, or 9a (7a and 7b in higher mountain areas), there are at least a couple dozen species that will do well and provide early fodder for pollinators and delightful color for our winter-weary eyes.

Many are also deer resistant—hooray! Plant swaths, big patches, or borders of these cheerful blooms.

The Siberian squill is a huge favorite of honey bees, and grows abundantly once you get it started…..maybe a bit TOO abundantly for some people’s taste. You may wish to avoid it because it is non-native and can be invasive in some areas.  But I let it go in my garden because it blooms at a perfect time with abundant, good quality, steel-blue pollen.

Here are a few suggestions—there are others, too, you may choose for your own wish list:

EARLY SPRING

Anemone (Anemone spp.) plant in October for early spring bloom, and second bloom in fall

Crocus (Crocus spp.) late winter early spring, wonderful pollen

Glory of the Snow (Chionodoxa spp.), plant in rocky area, part or full sun, early bloomer

Iris (Iris reticulata), early spring for bees, bees, bees

Siberian Squill (Scilla sibirica) early spring, long blooming season

MID-SPRING

Fritillaria/Checker Lily (Fritillaria meleagris), mid-spring, dappled shade or partial sun

Grape Hyacinth (Muscari spp.) abundant nectar mid-spring

Hyacinth (Hyacinthus spp.) abundant nectar mid-spring

Oregon Iris (Iris tenax) woodland habitat, all kinds of bees, mid- to late spring

LATE SPRING

Allium (Allium spp.) ornamental onion, late spring

Bluebells (Mertensia virginica) somewhat ephemeral late spring bloom

Camassia /Quamash (Camassia leichtlinii) late spring, likes wet winter feet, sunny summer

Daffodil (Narcissus poeticus, or N. jonquilla) deer really don’t eat them!

Lily, Bolander’s (Lilium bolanderi) natural habitat is stony hillsides; blooms late spring

Lily, Dog’s-Tooth Violet (Erythronium oreganum), shady moist areas, late spring 

Spanish Bluebells (Hyacinthoides hispanica), late spring, part full sun

“They say” honey bees don’t like tulips, but at least SOME do! Kathy Keatley Garvey of the “Bug Squad” of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California, postulates that bees’ pollen-gathering visits to tulips may be accidental…but I can only say that I often see our bees busy among these yellow beauties in the garden, humming “tiptoe through the tulips…”

—Susi Thomas