Last night we inspected our bees, recording their progress and checking for disease. 6pm was late as the sun had moved round to the west and the hive was in shadow, making it difficult to see through the netting of the bee suit. The bees were in a good mood and gentle so we only smoked them gently. We removed a new Queen cell to protect Aphrodite's position within the colony. We found Drone cells and stores of two different types of pollen, one pale lemon and the other bright orange. We haven't a clue which plants it comes from! At the end of the inpection a coating of icing sugar was applied to the brood chamber to protect against the Veroa bug which mutilates the bees. The sight of ghost bees flying in and out of the hive is surreal.
Today the beautiful "roseraie de l'haye" opened her first cerise flowerhead at the back of "The Smoking Room". I love these free-spirited shrubs which flower profusely filling the air with the scent of cloves. They have rough crinkled leaves and are not too precious. The vivid flash of colour at the back of the planting draws the eye up to the edge of the woodland. Planted alongside, under the canopy of the apple tree, is Geranium "Mourning Widow". This unpretentious plant is tolerant of dry shade and its deep claret,almost black,flowers add delicacy. Planted alongside the rose is the sweet shrub "Carolina Allspice". Its unique flower heads start off as chestnut buds before opening into wine red flowers with the fragrance of wild strawberry. What a delicious start to the day!
