Update for June 2011

Hi , things where all abuzz this month and there was excitement at the plot .  Flowers are out every where and the crops are growing well despite the very low rain fall.  Of course once Wimbledon started so did the weather. So here are some pics for June.

The Limnanthes or Poached Egg plant is now flowering all down the borders where it self seeded last year and doing its job well as a pollinator attractant.


One of my all time favourites is the Pyrethrum especially this deep shade with the contrasting centre.


A similar shade but different Style is Knautia macedonica. I love the airy feel of the plant and the way the flowers dance. The bumble bees love it too.


The Bumblers Also like The Comfrey flowers. I have quite a strip of this now and cut it in rotation for making concentrated plant food and layering in the compost heap as an activator.  This bee has actually chewed a hole through the side of the flower to get to the nectar.  Just as well i have the Russian clumping comfrey and don't depend on seed for next year but this behaviour will also give access to insects with shorter tongues than this bee.


While transferring some comfrey to the compost heap I was lucky to catch sight of something quite unusual. Not so much rare exactly but all the same seldom seen

Mr Mole! I guess he wouldn't be here if there wasn't plenty of worms.

Also providing food for the insects, but this time in the form of pollen are these gorgeous Oriental poppies.


Seemingly of more interest to flies than bees are my three or four clumps of Ox-eye daisy.

And as for the excitement I mentioned....The beekeeping course has now finished , i enjoyed it so much an learn a collossal amount, but, just as I had resigned myself to  a winter of slow construction and, due to poor local availability,the dim possibility of obtaining some bees next year i got a call. Cue frantic activity and a new page to record it .

Update for April 2010

Hi, April and time to drain the comfrey tea barrel in order to get a brew of nettles in before the comfrey starts cropping.  When i moved the barrel I found this wedge of garden snails still hibernating between the supporting stones.  The hens loved them. I'll be checking this hiding spot reguarly now.

Usually around this time of year for the last 20 or so i'll have a visit To Chesters Walled Garden and look out some good hardy perennials and herbs.  This year was different , the owner of the surrounding house and grounds had decided to sell up and Susie White who has looked after the garden for 23 years had her lease terminated.  After a sad chat Susie offerd me a spade and allowed me to attempt to rehome as many orphans as my boot could hold.

As I write this in Jan 2011 the link to Chesters Walled Garden is now defunct and i will remove it once i post this. Susie White is however still active and reguarly updates her Walled Garden Blog,  Linked to here>>>>>>>.