Dear fellow gardeners
As we pass the summer solstice, we focus this month on the wildflowers of the Bell House garden and a summer bee experience with Beekeeper Annie.
First up, the wildflowers - over in the House garden, there have been numerous Ragged-robin found at the back of the Rose garden and close to the Bog garden and pond. This is a rare sight as wild wetland sites disappear across the UK. These moisture-loving perennials with pink, frayed flowers and star-shaped blooms attract bumblebees, dragonflies, butterflies and Honeybees. Thanks Sara for the Ragged-robin photo.
Over in the meadow in the Walled garden at the back of the vegetable beds you’ll see Crimson clover, an annual with a flower head that is a rich crimson to red colour and shaped like a cone. You’ll also spot the upright, blue flower spikes of Viper’s-bugloss that is often seen on chalk grasslands, sand dunes and cliffs. Its spotted stem is thought to resemble a viper. Another blue presence are the beautiful Cornflowers and the endangered Corncockle (now virtually extinct in the wild). Look out for its slender purple/pink flowers in our meadow. Other residents include Wild Pansy, Burdock and the Scarlet pimpernel. My favourite fact about the Scarlet pimpernel is that it is also known as “Old man’s weathervane” as the flowers close when atmospheric pressure falls and bad weather approaches.
All of these flowers are loved by our Honeybee colonies. Beekeeper Annie will be inspecting the bees and need help with honey extractions over the summer and has very kindly asked if the gardeners would be interested in these sessions. If you are, please read on!
Sessions will mostly be on a Saturday morning at 11am and last for approximately one hour (if you cannot make a Saturday then Annie may be able to run a session on a Tuesday or Thursday).
Sessions are open to all gardeners from the Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday sessions.
Two people (adults only) maximum per session (there will be one full bee suit available and one jacket/veil/gloves. Please wear boots or wellies and long trousers so all skin is covered).
Annie is not allowed to carry or administer adrenaline for anaphylactic shock so if anyone knows they are allergic they should provide their own EpiPen or not sign up for a session.
Planned summer sessions: Saturday 2 July, Saturday 9 July, Saturday 23 July, Saturday 30 July, Saturday 20 August, Saturday 10 September, Saturday 17 September and Saturday 24 September.
Please email me Annie directly ([email protected])with your preferred session and include your phone number. This will be on a first come, first served basis and Annie will email you back to confirm your session.
Please note that sessions are weather permitting. If it’s too hot then the wax is so soft that the nest may be damaged during an inspection. If it’s too cold or wet then it chills the brood and the bees need to use too much energy to get the internal temperature back up.
Big thank you to Annie for this opportunity. It feels like a real privilege and I am super excited.
Finally, the Bell House July Open Garden is on Saturday 2 July from 11.30am to 1pm. If you are free to help on the day then please email Ellie on [email protected]. It’s always a lovely day and great to see our visitors enjoying the fabulous garden, now in full bloom.
Thanks, as always, for your continued hard work in the Bell House garden.