Summer 2017 for the Bees

I'm declaring Summer 2017 "The Summer for Bees." In my garden, I'll choose flowers the bees like and need. One thing I'll keep in mind is the timing so that there's something for the bees all season long. I'll go with my usual trick of planting alyssum extremely early with the chance it may die and have to be replaced, and I'll try to keep that alyssum going the entire growing season (and past the first frosts if I can!). I have some lilacs and irises for spring, but I'll add some annuals, too. I didn't have much luck with getting my lavender to flower last summer (my garden becomes shadier each year), but maybe I'll try cornflowers as bees are supposed to like blue flowers.  I'm lucky enough to live in the woods with a diverse wildflower population. Wild bees like wild plants. I've heard they like herbs, too, like the bee in the photo above with my lovely chive blossoms.