Banba's Brood

Swarm Alert!! Today a swarm of honeybees was spotted traveling in a westerly direction along the track opposite the garden. Immediate panic set in - had Banba & the girls decided it was time to move to larger accomodation? A hive inspection revealed that in fact our colony is thriving, the frames are full of brood, pollen & baby bees. We discovered one suspected Queen Cup which on inspection proved to be an empty play cup. What a relief!

Halcyon Days.

What luxury - reading the Sunday papers under a canopy of magnolia with my bare feet resting on a carpet of magnolia leaves! An opportunity not to be missed. This is the joy of a garden, nature bestows her amazing gifts unconditionally with grace & elegance. What more can we ask?

A Plant for all Seasons

Prunus spinosa is the star of the week in this month's sensational explosion of flowering trees. Just as the cherry blossom is going over the woods are enveloped in a haze of white from the blackthorn blossom. This is a favorite with the bees, & although the trees are hermapoditic, our bees play a vital role in pollination. Blackthorn or sloe trees are small with graphite bark & dense thorny branches. Flowering just before the leaves appear in early spring, they are often referred to as the May Tree. Their fierce thorns ravage my hands in the autumn when I have the audacity to harvest the bitter fruit to make sloe gin for Christmas!

With the rising temperatures this April, Banba is laying increasingly & her bees are foraging diligently for pollen to feed the young. They collect water from the pond to dilute their food stores & return regularly to the hive with their back legs laden with pollen. It is a priviledge to live in their world.

First Bee Inspection

April's powerful combination of sunshine & showers is resulting in a garden that is changing by the moment. Our honey bees are industrious, spoilt for choice by the vast array of their favorite flowers for foraging. Today was our first hive inspection on the Eve of April's 'Seed Moon'. This is a time when from our perspective the sun is opposite the moon in the skies. This libra full moon is a time for balance; the integration of our motivation & our need for peace & harmony.

Our new Queen, 'Banba', reigns over a court of gentle, benevolent bees who bore our inspection with grace & good humour. The brood is increasing rapidly & they are storing nectar as well as pollen. Several of the frames in the top super are dripping with delicious sweet honey waiting to be capped. This is a good time for dandelions; they produce large amounts of nectar & pollen excellent for honey production. We shifted several frames to give Banba more space for laying, in the hope that we can discourage her from swarming - a worry at this time of year! They love the pollen & nectar from the exquisite crab apple blossom!

Balmy Skies

What amazing weather for early April, with the bright sunshine & scorching temperatures we could be forgiven for thinking it's June. The garden is in raptures over the clement weather & the tulip display continues to delight. Planted in swathes of colour for impact the eye is drawn up & out towards the horizon. The strident ribbons are like a road map through the plantings, each suggesting a different mood & telling a different story throughout the day - just like 24 hour TV coverage of a spectacular event.

Tulips,Tulips, Tulips....

The tulip is the perfect bulb to add ribbons of drama throughout an early spring garden. The excitement is palpable each morning as we wait for the warmth of the sun to unfurl the ripe flowerheads, revealing an explosion of vibrant colour. The 'Shabby-Chic' planting to the south of the house is punctuated with papal-purple flowerheads, stunning against the young lime foliage. To the east, the skyline is a cloud of tequilla orange - a mis-planting which has resulted in an unexpected triumph. This is our third year of experimenting with tulips for a dramatic stage set & the results far exceed expectation. We are eternally grateful to our friend Helen, a gifted plantswoman for her inspirational planting. We have taken the decision to lift the bulbs each year after flowering & then to replant in the autumn to ensure a spring the garden bedecked in jewel-like splendour. This week's stunning weather has brought the Tulip Fiesta forward at least four weeks - like a pagent in preparation for a summer spectacular.

Spring Garden

Today's soaring temperatures have seduced the blooms & the garden is now an explosion of colour. Tomorrow I will chart the progress of the Tulip Ribbons. But for now a snapshot of the day.

Mother's Day Bouquet

This morning the garden is an explosion of blossom & perfume. The osmanthus with its dreamy bridal gown has stepped into the spotlight for its moment of glory. The air is permeated with a new intoxicating fragrance taking over from the exhausted Daphne & Butcher's Broom. Spring is also a season to gather windfalls; top heavy daffodils bow their heads with the weight of the early spring showers. This is the time to gather them up and fill unsuspecting jugs to the brim with these graceful, joyful flowers. The kitchen is now host to a medley of magnolia, osmanthus & hellebores - nature's Mother's Day gift.