The bees are staying warm and cosy in their brood-chamber today as arctic conditions suspend the garden in time and space. Frozen sap contorts the stems of snowdrops and hellebores forcing them into unnatural positions. But not so the Spring Crocus, for there is still warmth and growth beneath the surface. Before long the beloved Spring Crocus, surprisingly non-native, will dance in ribbons below below the pond, tempting the early bees with a feast of pollen. Spring Crocus produces both flowers and leaves in February and March, an invaluable source of pollen for the honey bee. Throughout the Mediterranean saffron is renowned for its healing and medicinal properties and it is a delightful thought that the Spring Crocus contributes to the alchemy of each year's first honey, through the diligence of the unassuming honey bee!
