I think more people are getting interested in having bees Ann. And gardeners are getting more interested in providing plants for them even if they don't keep bees.
My husband is now so comfortable around our bees he only wears a suit when he has to go down to the brood nest to inspect it. We both walk around and get up close to the hives even when not checking them. I'm usually in shorts during the summer when I go around them and I have one sister who goes and looks at the hives every time she comes to visit me and she's always in shorts when she comes in the summertime.
Ann is also correct in the amount of space you need to keep bees. If you just have a small property without much space for plants keep in mind the bees will forage beyond your property to your neighbors all around you. Even in a city with no gardening space you can have bees.
