Where to put a bee house in a real garden — and what to plant near it

At a glance

• South to south-east facing, catching direct morning sun.
• 1–1.5m off the ground, fixed rigidly to a wall, fence or sturdy post.
• Clear of overhanging leaves so rain cannot drip onto the entrances.
• Something in flower nearby from early spring through late summer.
• Works on a balcony rail as well as a fence panel, if it is fixed firmly.

What a garden bee house changes

Solitary bees carry dry pollen loose on the underside of the abdomen and shed it as they move, so they pollinate far more flowers per visit than a honeybee with packed pollen baskets. A resident population of red mason and leafcutter bees noticeably improves fruit set on apples, pears, plums, currants, strawberries, beans, tomatoes and courgettes. They do not sting in any meaningful sense, need no keeping, and will not swarm — see our fuller comparison of a bee house against a beehive if that distinction matters to you.

Siting it in a real garden

Planting to go with it: a season plan

Red mason bees are flying by March, so early flower matters more than most people plan for. Crocus, pulmonaria, flowering currant and fruit blossom cover March and April. Chives, marjoram, geraniums and foxgloves carry through May and June as mason bee season ends and leafcutters begin. Lavender, scabious, single-flowered dahlias and late herbs keep leafcutters fed into August. A bare, slightly damp patch of soil nearby gives mason bees the mud they need to seal cells; soft-leaved shrubs such as roses give leafcutters the material for theirs.

Common siting mistakes

• Hanging it under a tree canopy, where dripping leaves keep the tunnels damp.
• Facing it north or into prevailing wind and rain.
• Leaving it loose on a hook or wire so it swings.
• Placing it directly above a water butt or compost bin, both damp microclimates.
• Choosing only double-flowered ornamentals, which offer little usable pollen.

What a good bee house is built from

A range beats a single tunnel size every time: around 8mm for red mason bees, 6–7mm for leafcutters, 3–4mm for the smaller masked and yellow-faced species. Untreated timber at least 19mm thick evens out the temperature between a cold night and a hot afternoon, a copper roof overhangs every side and lasts decades, and the back must be solid to keep parasitic wasps out. See our full bee hotel checklist for the reasoning behind each point.

The Wild Bee Hotel in the garden

Untreated Western red cedar, a hand-formed copper roof, hand-sanded tunnels from 2mm to 10mm, a solid rear panel and a steel mount that takes a screw into a wall, fence post, balcony rail or shed. One is £39.99; multi-packs bring the price per hotel down if you are covering an allotment or buying for family. Free worldwide shipping, 30-day money-back guarantee.