The Melissa Bee Garden in Sonoma, California is not a farm created to gather honey to sell. Barbara and Jacques Schlumberger planted this garden, full of various flowers and herbs, just to benefit the bees and their health. There is a mysterious collapse of honeybee colonies happening right now and scientists are trying to figure out why. There are different theories about what is causing the problem, but the fact is that bee colonies are disappearing. One real problem is pollution and also development by humans. The decrease in pollen producing plants has contributed to a reduction in the bee population. Also, when just one or two varieties of plants are grown by huge farms, or maybe the development of plants that have been hybridized and don’t produce as much of the pollen that bees use are the only flowers available, then the bees don’t get a balanced diet.

The Schlumbergers are dedicated to planting hundreds of varieties of flowering plants in their garden to prove that the bees thrive here and are free of diseases. Just like us, they need a variety of foods to get proper nutrition. Barbara and Jacques are providing what I like to call a “tasting menu” for the bees to enjoy. Their point is to encourage the planting of more of this type of “bee” garden and I encourage you to plan a flower garden in your yard—no matter how small—to attract bees. Even here, in New York City, there are people planting gardens and putting beehives on the rooftops!