Bees are essential to human life. As pollinators of vital crops, they bring forth approximately 90 per cent of the world’s nutrition. Yet pesticides and other environmental stressors have destroyed more than 10 million hives to date, and populations continue to plummet.
Victory Gardens for Bees is both a clarion call for protecting these vital creatures and an inspired vision for their future. Renowned bee expert, artist and garden educator Lori Weidenhammer investigates the bee crisis, offering a step-by-step guide for turning green spaces into sanctuaries where they can flourish.
Drawing on decades of experience, Weidenhammer equips readers with ten creative garden plans demonstrating how to grow bee-friendly plants – not matter your square footage – for new and seasoned gardeners alike. Topics include how to build nesting sites for bees, seasonal planting strategies for backyard beekeepers, where to find the best gardening supplies, and much, much more.
Benefitting people as much as their pollinators, each plan incorporates a range of plants with nutritional and/or medicinal value – from edible crops to fragrant ornamentals and herbs – colourful photographs for identifying bee and plant varieties, and inspiring DIY projects for home and garden.
Brimming with authoritative, buzz-worthy information, Victory Gardens is an indispensible resource for rescuing bees from extinction through inspired community action. In the spirit of citizens who founded the many Victory Gardens, which offset food shortages of World Wars 1 and 2, the book invites us to put our green thumbs together and garden for the bees—before it’s too late.
Victory Gardens for Bees is published by Douglas & McIntyre, and available from your local bookstore from April 30 onwards.
