Tired of battling weeds and watching your garden buzz-free? These bee-friendly plants pull double duty—smothering unwanted growth while attracting pollinators in droves.
From bold bloomers to hardy groundcovers, these natural multitaskers make gardening easier and more beautiful. Skip the chemicals and let nature do the work—your local bees will thank you.
1. Creeping Thyme
Imagine a fragrant carpet of tiny purple flowers that bees absolutely adore! Creeping thyme spreads rapidly across the ground, smothering weeds in its path. This low-growing herb reaches just 2-4 inches tall but extends outward to create a dense mat that’s tough enough to walk on.
Perfect for pathways, between stepping stones, or as a lawn alternative. The aromatic leaves release their delightful scent when crushed, adding another sensory dimension to your garden space.
2. White Clover
Honeybees go crazy for white clover! This resilient ground cover produces adorable round white flower heads that provide nectar throughout summer. As a nitrogen-fixer, white clover actually improves your soil while it smothers weeds.
Its spreading habit creates a thick mat that prevents weed seeds from germinating and taking hold. Once established, it’s drought-tolerant and can handle moderate foot traffic, making it a perfect addition between garden beds or as a lawn replacement.
3. Lamium (Dead Nettle)
Don’t let the odd name fool you! Lamium is a gardener’s secret weapon for shady spots where weeds typically thrive. With silver-splashed leaves and pretty purple, pink, or white flowers, this fast-spreading perennial creates a decorative blanket that chokes out weeds.
Bumblebees particularly love visiting the hooded blooms during spring and early summer. Hardy and low-maintenance, lamium asks for almost nothing while giving beautiful foliage, flowers, and pollinator support year after year.
4. Sedum (Stonecrop)
Sedums are the tough guys of the garden world! These succulents form tight mats of fleshy leaves that leave no room for weeds to gain a foothold. Late summer brings starry flowers in shades of pink, red, or yellow that attract countless bees and butterflies.
Low-growing varieties like ‘Dragon’s Blood’ or ‘Angelina’ make excellent ground covers in sunny, dry areas. Bonus points for being incredibly drought-resistant once established – perfect for those who occasionally forget to water!
5. Ajuga (Bugleweed)
Meet the shade garden champion! Ajuga forms a quick-spreading carpet of glossy, often colorful foliage that easily outcompetes weeds in difficult shady areas. In spring, spikes of blue-purple flowers rise above the leaves, creating a stunning display that attracts bees by the dozens.
Varieties like ‘Black Scallop’ or ‘Chocolate Chip’ offer interesting leaf colors that add visual interest even when not in bloom. Once established, ajuga needs minimal care while providing maximum weed suppression.
6. Oregano
Not just for pizza! Ornamental oregano creates a beautiful weed-suppressing mat while producing tiny flowers that bees visit repeatedly throughout summer. The aromatic foliage releases its signature scent when brushed against, adding sensory delight to garden paths.
Greek oregano and ‘Hot & Spicy’ varieties spread particularly well, creating dense coverage that blocks weed growth. Harvest leaves for cooking while leaving plenty of flowers for the bees – a true win-win plant that serves multiple purposes in your garden.
7. Lily of the Valley
Sweet-scented bells dangle above lush green foliage in spring, creating an irresistible destination for bumblebees. Lily of the valley spreads through underground rhizomes to form a dense colony that effectively blocks weeds. Perfect for deep shade where other plants struggle, this woodland native creates a maintenance-free carpet under trees and shrubs.
The glossy leaves remain attractive long after the flowers fade. Plant this fragrant beauty where you can enjoy its intoxicating perfume – perhaps along a shaded pathway or near a seating area.
8. Creeping Jenny
Bright chartreuse foliage makes creeping Jenny an eye-catching ground cover that quickly fills in gaps and smothers weeds. Small yellow cup-shaped flowers appear in summer, attracting native bees. This vigorous spreader works wonderfully cascading over walls, softening edges of garden beds, or filling in between stepping stones.
The golden variety ‘Aurea’ adds a pop of color that brightens shady spots. While enthusiastic in growth, it’s easily controlled by trimming back wayward stems – a small price for its excellent weed-suppressing abilities.
9. Catmint (Nepeta)
Bees literally buzz with excitement around catmint! This perennial produces waves of lavender-blue flowers from late spring through summer, creating a pollinator paradise. Growing in a mounded shape that spreads outward, catmint effectively shades out weeds while requiring minimal care.
Varieties like ‘Walker’s Low’ and ‘Purrsian Blue’ offer compact growth perfect for garden edges. Simply cut back after the first flowering flush to encourage a second round of blooms – more flowers for bees and less space for weeds!
10. Bee Balm (Monarda)
With a name like bee balm, you know this plant means business! Showy pom-pom flowers in red, pink, or purple sit atop aromatic foliage, creating an irresistible beacon for bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Spreading through underground runners, bee balm forms dense patches that effectively crowd out weeds.
Native varieties like wild bergamot offer excellent ecological benefits while requiring minimal care. The leaves make a delightful tea that humans can enjoy while the flowers feed our pollinator friends – truly a multi-purpose garden addition!
11. Creeping Phlox
Spring gardens explode with color when creeping phlox unfurls its blanket of star-shaped blooms in pink, purple, blue, or white. Bees flock to these nectar-rich flowers during a critical early season period. Forming a dense evergreen mat only 4-6 inches tall, this spreading perennial eliminates weed opportunities while cascading beautifully over walls or rocky areas.
The needle-like foliage stays attractive year-round. Once established, creeping phlox tolerates drought and poor soil, making it perfect for problem areas where weeds typically dominate.
12. Russian Sage
Clouds of tiny lavender-blue flowers float above silvery foliage, creating a dreamy effect that bees cannot resist! Russian sage blooms for months, providing a consistent nectar source throughout summer. While not a true ground cover, its bushy growth habit and size (up to 4 feet tall and wide) effectively shade out weeds in a substantial area.
The aromatic leaves deter deer and rabbits – an added bonus! Extremely drought-tolerant once established, this perennial thrives in hot, sunny spots where other plants struggle.
13. Borage
Star-shaped blue flowers hanging like little bells make borage one of the most charming bee magnets in any garden. Watch as bees literally line up to visit these nectar-rich blooms! This annual self-seeds readily, creating new plants that fill in garden gaps before weeds can take hold.
The fuzzy leaves and stems have a refreshing cucumber-like flavor, making them edible for humans too. Let borage wander through vegetable gardens where it will attract pollinators to your crops while suppressing weeds between rows.
14. Woolly Thyme
Fuzzy gray-green leaves form a soft, touchable carpet that’s irresistible to both humans and bees! Woolly thyme spreads to create a dense mat that weeds simply cannot penetrate. Tiny pink flowers appear in early summer, attracting various bee species while adding delicate color to the textural foliage.
This drought-tolerant ground cover thrives in poor soil and hot, sunny locations where many weeds would normally flourish. Perfect for rock gardens, between stepping stones, or as a lawn substitute in small areas – just step on it to release its gentle herbal scent!
15. Yarrow
Flat-topped flower clusters in white, yellow, pink, or red create perfect landing pads for bees and butterflies! Yarrow’s feathery foliage forms a dense growth that effectively suppresses weeds. Native varieties are particularly valuable for supporting local bee populations while being incredibly drought-tolerant once established.
The deep roots help break up compacted soil, improving growing conditions throughout your garden. Cut flowers last beautifully in arrangements, while leaving plenty in the garden for your buzzing visitors to enjoy all summer long.