Delicious Dew

What a difference a day makes, this morning the air is positively humid.  Moisture stalactites adorne the hedgerows, creating nature's dew-shower to refresh and surprise in the depths of the undergrowth. Bounteous and bold, June's fair maidens offer a mighty challenge to the mighty Ice queen in the art of water sculpture: sharp/soft, fluid/ fixed, melting/vaporising;each piece unique, available in this moment only!

After a bracken-shower, the grasses softly powdered Vulcan with seed; washed and groomed he was eager to partake of the dew!

The Scent Of Rose

"Mmm, this scent is delicious... Gertrude Jekyll is definitely my favourite!"

Nettle Tango

This morning, before the grey clouds swept in, I spent an hour of solitude deep in the woods. In parts the bracken is now waist high, a veritable jungle for the dogs!  Occasionally, we happened upon a small clearing where the woodland ground-flora was star of the show.  I was particularly taken by these nettles clasped in a warm embrace at the break of day.

 

'Have I interrupted their private dance or is this just a trick of my imagination?' I wondered.  I'm sure that the botanists will have a scientific explanation, but sometimes a thought captures us just long enough to dream!  For me, it is at these moments of surrender that creativity flows...

The Beauty of Form

After listening to the torrential rain of Saturday night I fully expected to wake up and find that the pond had been ousted again by the natural spring that runs under the garden.  But no.. although full to the brim the pond and all its resident flora and fauna were still in situe.  The subtle differences in the downpours will never be known ... yet another mystery of natural law!

For a change I decided to ignore all chores; without agenda I wandered down amongst the plants to admire the beauty of form, colour and perfume.  And what a celebration it was... the plants replenished by the cleansing rain were pushing their heads skyward in search of the sun.  Lady's Mantle had captured the raindrops in her night-time leaf umbrellas, under the midday sun the preserved drops twinkled as they danced.  It was moments like these that caught Edward Bach unawares as he wandered along the hedgerows.  The wild flowers touched his spirit giving him an insight to the workings of the natural world that led to his revolutionary discovery of the healing power of flower essences.  And how would we all cope today in our high speed global economy without a dab of Rescue Remedy to soothe our soul?

Midsummer's Eve

Isis, Vulcan and I were out in the woods early this morning, just after 6am! The sun, on its ascent, was reaching through the trees and dancing on dew-diamonds that twinkled like halos around each leaf and blade of grass. Poised for the summer solstice the woods were alive and breathing;  hibernation and repose, the mark of Saturnalia, seem light years away.

  Steadfast and strong, the wise old holly tree is adorned with the powdery pop-poms of the energetic Himalayan Musk; sweet apple scent rises on thermals deep into the wood long before this ephemeral sculpture comes into view.  Roses rejuvenated by twenty four hours of sunshine were unfurling velvet petals; their glory a delight for all to see.  The dawn chorus filled the air with song, a tantalising prelude to the greatest show on earth: The Midsummer Garden. Now, I understand how the old bard found his muse!

                                              

Dawn Chorus

What a difference a day makes!  This morning the song of the dawn chorus filled the air with expectation.  And to my mind, this is how an early June morning should sound; exultant.  I can't pin-point exactly when the daily lives of our little feathered friends became so important to me.  Was it when the knowing little robin started waiting at the gate to welcome us home or was it the blackbird  tapping on the window, nature's own alarm call! .  Well, I am really not too sure, but I do know that when I wake up each morning I'm overjoyed to hear their song.

It's such a  thrill when the robin sits on my wing-mirror for a chat, or the blackbird darts across the path with dexterity and style.  The heirachy of the birdtable never ceases to enthrall, especially the arrival of the Woodpecker who commands respect from us all!

Will She... Won't She

Queen Diana has now been with us for five days and we are all waiting with baited breath to see whether her subjects will accept her.  The whole garden seems to sense the suspense; Paul's Himalayan Musk Rose has scampered high into the holly tree and is now opening his delicate puff-powder flower heads from all vantage points in an effort to be first with news from the hive.

  The weather has been changeable and not particularly good for flying or gathering nectar.  This suggests that many of the worker bees will have been at home for the last few days instead of being out and about as usual.  This will make the going tough for Diana, until she can start to lay in safety and raise some of her own brood she will always be a step-mum to Cleo's brood!

We have chosen her name carefully, hoping that it will bestow upon her the qualities that she will need.  Diana was a major Deity, one of the twelve Olympian Gods.  Her symbols are the Cypress Tree and the Deer; she was revered as the protector of children.  Her festival is called Nemoralia which was marked with a procession of torches and candles around the dark waters of Lake Nemi.  The lake is often referred to as Diana's mirror as the torches together with the light of the moon reflect on the surface of the water.

We need a protector for Cleo's colony, hopefully she will have instilled in them some manners and the foresight to see that Diana is the key to their survival.

Diana, Goddess of the Moon and Hunting

On Friday evening our new Queen bee, Diana, arrived clipped and marked to succeed Cleo.  It seems ironic that these iconic, ancient deities have had to to succumb to the transport system of the modern world; she and her Ladies in Waiting arrived in a jiffy bag!

Thankfully, the storms of Thursday were beginning to subside, a weather window presented at 7pm giving us the opportunity to prepare the hive for her arrival.  The timing was not ideal as it was cold and the whole colony were in residence; they were not too pleased at having their evening interrupted! It was imperative to check that the colony were not nurturing any new queen cells in their bid to ensure survival. If this had been the case they would have immediately killed Diana.  Her deadliest adversaries will be Cleo's adolescent Drones who are now virile and hormone driven, intent on searching out Virgin Queens.  Diana, has already danced with her young Romeo, a fact that will not go unnoticed by Cleo's boys.  Her scent will be unique and distinct from that of the hive.  For the first few days it is certain that she will have few allies!  So, while the hive acclimatise to her presence, she is protected in a tiny chamber, the entrance of which is barred with a stop of soft fondant.  Over the next few days her ladies in waiting and Cleo's workers will eat through the fondant to release Diana into the brood chamber.  Hopefully she will charm them with her gentle nature and they will accept her rule.

This will be a nerve racking few days for us all - hopefully, when we open the hive in a week's time we will be rewarded with evidence of newly laid brood and a sighting of Diana with her distinctive golden crown.  She is a descendant of the celebrated Buckfast Abbey Bees of Brother Adam.  These bees are revered for their gentle nature and contentment.  They are renowned for their predilection to settle happily in one place as opposed to the nomadic nature of some honey bees who love to swarm.  We await the outcome with baited breath!

River of Iris

The beginning of June heralds the flowering of the Iris River in our L'Heure Bleu planting.  Its course stretches from the flamboyant Rose Nevada to the depths of the Smoke bushes which border the ancient woodland.  Today, through the fine drizzle, the Iris glisten; resplendent leaves fluttering gently on the breeze just like Flags... a reference to their regal history and common name. 

I love the history and symbolism associated with this elegant summer flower.  Her name dates back to the Greek Goddess Iris, a messenger to the Gods on Mount Olympus, who was seen as the link between heaven and earth. The translation of her name is Rainbow, her three leaves representing faith, wisdom and valour.

  We planted the Iris to give the illusion of a river running through the rose garden, it provides hours of pleasure as we imagine the pageant of bees and insects travelling from the Lazy Hazy Afternoon planting to the sultry L'Heure Bleu which represents dusk.  The concept of the river as a transport system and sustainer of life is magical and adds a beguiling dimension to the garden, transient though it may be.  For me it provides a platform for the imagination, a whimsical portal between heaven and earth.

The Queen

It is with great sadness this Diamond Jubilee weekend that we announce the death of our beautiful young Queen Bee, Cleo.  This picture shows her arriving at Valley Garden Paradise on the 18th June 2011 with the Master bee keeper who bred her in his apiary.  As promised she proved to have a lovely disposition and, to our delight, quickly set to work increasing her colony.  She was a soft tobacco colour with a distinctive rounded abdomen and an inquisitive, industrious nature.  Within weeks her bees were filling the frames with pollen and nectar as well as producing delicious honey; enough to share some with us as well as providing 40lb to feed her colony throughout the winter.

The warm spell in March encouraged Cleo to start laying brood earlier than usual, very quickly the hive was numbering in excess of seventy thousand honey bees.  Inevitably, space started to run short and a couple of weeks ago the colony decided to swarm and relocate.  In terms of nature it is a good sign that Cleo was productive enough to start a second colony, however, being a clipped queen this was never going to be an option for her.  Two weeks ago we spotted the swarm and were able to help her back into her hive post swarm. We know that she continued laying for at least a week as there was fresh brood in the frames at our last hive check. However, we are not sure whether or not the colony attempted to swarm again in the high temperatures of last weekend, this may well be the case, but sadly this time we did not see it happen.  We can see that the colony is not Queen-right and very probably Queen-less.  There is no new brood and the bees seem at a loss; desperately trying to transform existing larvae into a potential Queen cells in a last-ditch attempt to save the hive from extinction... they are like a ship without a rudder!

  As soon as the Jubilee holiday is over we will try to re-Queen.  The lifespan of a honey bee is six weeks, so inevitably there will be a decline in the colony in five weeks time. Hopefully, our new queen will settle in and the colony will accept her leadership. Whatever happens it is going to be a tense few weeks for us all.

Common Spotted Orchid

How can anyone describe these delicate little flowers as common!  Each year I anticipate their arrival with delight, waiting for their elegant, rocket shaped heads to emerge and launch skywards.  For one month each year, at the beginning of June, the uncompromising limestone bank behind the house is transformed into a lilac haze.  This little family posed proudly for their portrait this morning having survived unscathed the torrential rain that marked the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.  They are so generous in their propagation, popping up in the most unexpected places... inhabiting vacant summer pots to put on their show.  Their aristocratic relative, the highly sought house orchid, is revered for it's delicacy and need for perfect conditions.  There is no such pretencion in the spotted orchid, it will grace the most inhospitable landscape and transform the space with its beauty.  The Common Spotted Orchid is truly one of nature's delights!

Veronica and Grannies Bonnets

These cottage garden favorites greeted me this morning as I passed on the path.  I just adore their names and the sense of nostalgia that they invoke.  Until they pop up I always forget how fragile they are and never cease to be surprised if I overhear them referred to as weeds.  Without doubt beauty lies in the eye of the beholder... who could deny the exquisite transience of a dandelion seed head before it catches the breeze? Today, the flowers in this garden send their love to painter who cares for their needs.