Victory Gardens for Bees

Weidenhammer (aka Madame Beespeaker or the Queen Bee), an interdisciplinary artist, beekeeper, and educator, focuses this guide on what individuals can do to help ailing bee populations. She believes that "if we want to protect our pollinators and the very survival of life on our planet, we need to grow Victory Gardens for Bees," in a collective effort akin to those used to offset food shortages after both world wars. Weidenhammer begins with a lengthy section on how to identify different types of bees in North America, including information on what they look like, which plants they prefer, and where they tend to live. She also provides several sections on various plants that can be beneficial for bees and helpfully notes various trios of companion plants for amateur gardeners who aren't sure which plants work well together. The end of each section includes useful summary charts of plant hardiness, maximum height, and health benefits to humans (where applicable). There are 10 illustrated suggestions for bee victory garden layouts. As climate change, pesticides, and modernization ravage bee populations across the globe, Weidenhammer responds with helpful advice, useful information, and a can-do attitude. (May)