Perfect poisons for pollinators – available from your local garden centre

I wrote about this last year when I first read the report. It is very sad that the RHS hasn’t done more to be sure that their ‘Pollinator Friendly’ label isn’t being used on plants that are probably lethal to bees

Philip Strange Science and Nature Writing

We try to make our garden welcoming for bees by growing flowers that provide pollen and nectar throughout the season. We also have some unkempt areas they might want to nest in and we don’t use any pesticides. I enjoy watching the bees foraging on the flowers as they come in to bloom and currently a large cotoneaster bush is full of small bumblebees buzzing loudly as they feed in the sunshine. It’s been very exciting this year to see bumblebees and solitary bees nesting in the dry-stone walls around the garden.

When we need new plants or compost, there is one local garden centre we use. It has a good range of healthy-looking plants and a very nice tearoom! In early spring, it’s also an excellent place to watch one of my favourite bees, the hairy-footed flower bee (Anthophora plumipes), whizzing about in the greenhouses full of flowers…

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In a vase on Monday – Too hot to think

Monday is when Cathy at Rambling in the Garden asks us to fill a vase with flowers from our own gardens.  Today I have a similar vase to a couple of weeks ago, but as it is my favourite Blue and White combination perhaps you’ll forgive me.  The second vase is a bit of a strange mix but looks a little like a meadow in a vase, which is rather fun.

Summer is here – whether I like it or not

I was away from the garden for less than a week to visit the Chelsea flower show and in that time the weather changed from a cool spring to sudden summer.  I knew it would happen but it still always shocks me.

Tuesday View – 30th May 2017

What a difference two weeks makes to the garden when it is hot and dry!  This certainly show how valid this weekly meme hosted by Cathy at Words and Herbs is.

In a vase on Monday – Sweet peas

I missed making a vase last Monday when I was in London for the Chelsea Flower Show but I was able to meet up with Cathy our host for this addictive meme.  We spent a lovely day together at the Garden History museum (which reopened that day) and at the Chelsea Physic Garden.  As seems to be usual with these encounters we talked as if we had known each other forever and our blogging bond was strengthened.  It was a real pleasure to meet you Cathy.

Tuesday View – May 16th 2017

I’m linking with Cathy at Words and Herbs for the weekly View of one part of the garden.

In a Vase on Monday – My favourite Blue and White

If you were to ask me what my favourite colour combination of flowers in a vase is, the answer would be White and Blue.  I don’t often have true blue flowers so I don’t achieve this colour mix very often.