Being a Bee Gardener sometimes takes a look of patience. And waiting to get your Bee Garden certified by Texas Bee Watchers sometimes take even more patience. Sondra Brooks from Spicewood, Texas ( 78669) has plenty of patience. She has a garden that welcomes not only our native bees, but also birds, butterflies, frogs, snakes, and a whole herd of other Texas wildlife critters.
Sondra lives on 5 acres of rural property hosting Live Oaks, Mesquite, native grasses, etc. Her garden area, which Sondra describes as extensive, is fully enclosed and incorporates a pond visited by bees, birds, butterflies, frogs, snakes, and about 35 goldfish–who I presume are more than visitors. She has also placed hummingbird feeders around the property which have been known to host as many as 12 thirsty hummingbirds at a time.
In case you haven’t noticed–or you are reading this from a cool vacation spot incorporating both water and cool air–Texas is in the midst of a horrible drought. Temperatures have been in the 100‘s and we haven’t really had any rain for a month. Water is hard to find for all our wildlife–including insects–like bees. Sondra’s garden pond is a welcome addition to a Bee Garden.
The native bees in the garden are especially fond of the Crape Myrtles, oregano flowers, and sunflowers. She also has a vegetable garden. At the end of a vegetable season, she lets some of the vegetables–such as broccoli– flower. The native bees love the broccoli flowers.
Sondra included a list of plants she maintains in her garden.
- Bee Balm
- Borage
- Butterfly Bush
- Cactus (var.)
- Calendula
- Cape Honeysuckle
- Chervil
- Chives
- Cilantro
- Crape Myrtle
- Daisy (Gerbera)
- Delphinium
- Dianthus
- Eucalyptus (Silver Dollar)
- Garlic (Elephant)
- Hawthorn
- Hollyhock
- Hyssop (Lavender & Anise)
- Iris (Red Hawk)
- Lemon Verbena
- Liriope
- Malabar Spinach
- Mexican Petunia
- Milkweed
- Monarda (Var.)
- Nigella
- Oregano
- Parsley
- Patchouli
- Penstemon
- Peppermint
- Phlox
- Pineapple Sage
- Pride of Barbados
- Redbud (Texas & Eastern)
- Rose (5 vars.)
- Sage (culinary)
- Salvia (many vars.)
- Skullcap
- Soapwort
- Spearmint
- Speedwell
- Spider Flower
- Sweet mace
- Sunflower (Lemon Queen)
- Sweet Woodruff
- Tansy
- Thyme
- Vines (Cross, Trumpet, Morning Glory, Passion Flower, Clematis)
- Wisteria
- Yarrow (Cerise Queen)
- Yellow Bells
- Yucca
Sondra’s Garden becomes the 16th Official Certified Texas Bee Garden, but that’s not the only recognition her garden has earned. Her garden has already been recognized as a Monarch Waystation, and certified as Wildlife-Friendly by the National Wildlife Federation and Texas Parks and Wildlife. The Herb Society of America is also certifying her garden through their Green Bridges program. If the wildlife of Texas couldn’t tell by the diversity of plants and the lack of pesticides that this was a great garden for visiting, the signs would surely direct them in to visit!
Sondra, thanks for taking the time and effort to provide this way station for Texas native bees and other wildlife. I am honored to make your garden the 16th Official Certified Texas Bee-Friendly Garden. And thanks so much for being patient while I got your garden posted on the Texas Bee Watchers website!
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