A field of clover is nearby, and it is here that she will work, flitting from cloverhead to cloverhead, collecting the food that will feed her queen and keep the babies thriving. Clover, she knows, will keep her strong for the weeks of work ahead, less susceptible to the illnesses that sometimes sweep through a hive. Clover, she knows, will make good honey.
Clover is also good for humans, although the honeybee doesn't realize this. Full of Vitamins A, B, C, and E, along with potassium and calcium (among others), both red and white clover can boost the nutritive value of a classic side salad tremendously. All of its parts, from the flower head to the roots, are edible, and can be used dried, fresh, or even cooked. Collect the leaves in the early spring to add to salads, serve steamed as a side dish, or even eat raw. Use the flower heads during the summer as an edible garnish, or add them dried to cookies and cakes for a unique sweet flavor and aroma. Both the leaves and the flowers can be steeped into a clover tea to help relieve coughs, colds, and even minor eye infections.
The honeybee hastens through the field, happy to do the work that will help provide for her hive. Then a nearby plant catches her attention, and without hesitation, she turns from the clover to collect the nectar from this new herb.
Tiny white flowers erupt from the thick green foliage of a basil plant. An herb renowned for its medicinal properties as well as its minty, peppery flavor, basil is also a favorite among bees of all kinds. Keep basil in your arsenal of medicinal herbs for its ability to reduce fevers; relieve the symptoms of colds, flus, and bronchitis; soothe sore joints and arthritis; and reduce swelling. The herb is even beneficial for cardiovascular health, and may be helpful in lowering cholesterol. Mixed with the strong, natural honey from local bees, its juice can help you naturally pass a kidney stone.
Moving from flower to flower, the honeybee notices that there are more flowering herbs nearby, all of which can benefit the honey and the hive. The puffy purple flowers of bee balm, the bluish-purple of sage, the pale pinkish-white of catnip, and the bright yellow of calendula peek out from the green around her. Of course, she can't see the colors, but she recognizes the plants and the nectar that will make fine honey for the winter. She doesn't mind that she will never get to enjoy the finished honey that she is working so hard to help make - she is only happy to know that the hive will benefit.
Beekeepers know that what you plant directly affects the flavor, quality, and consistency of the honey. The nectar of medicinal herbs can also produce medicinal quality honey. But even if you aren't a beekeeper and will never get to taste the honey that the bees in your yard or garden make, there are other reasons to plant a few extra herbs in your garden this year. Bees of all kinds are needed to keep your plants producing. Allow them to flower just a bit - while tough pruning is necessary for a good yield, you may consider allowing one plant of each variety to go to flower to keep some bees in your yard. Even the clovers, dandelions, and wild mint that tend to plague lovers of a traditional green suburban lawn can actually improve your yard when they are allowed to flower, at least for a few days.
This bees' garden is just what our honeybee needed. The nectar from just a few of these flowers can do incredible things, working to keep the hive strong and healthy, help the queen produce more workers throughout the summer, and even protect the hive from invaders that might try to steal the honey.
The honeybee works tirelessly as the hot summer day progresses, gathering nectar and inadvertently spreading pollen along the way. The shadows finally start growing longer and longer, bringing her long day of work to an end. She flits to one last flower, then turns to head home with her sisters, all flying work-worn but content back to the hive. Tomorrow will be much the same but she doesn't mind - she is an herbalist and an artist, and nothing could delight her more than to spend her days nestled in flowers.
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