Back to my own garden this week for six on Saturday. There is a lot going on so it is hard to know what to choose.
- CLOVER: On our return from Wales the red and white clover was at it’s peak. Both are great bee food. The white clover comes up on our “lawn”, because we don’t cut it too often. It smells heavenly. Red clover is in the wildflower meadow and the gravel drive. It is particularly food this year.
2. RINGLET: Ringlet butterflies are also doing well this year and are loving the wildflower meadow.
Ringlet
3. WORCESTER BERRIES: It is not a great fruit year for us (we’ve no apples or plums because of late frosts) but we do have some berries. Here Worcester berries (cross between gooseberry and blackcurrant).
WORCESTER BERRIES
4. CAMPANULA. Campanula (bellflowers) are one of my favourite summer flowers. These ones grow to about 1m tall and do suffer a bit of wind damage, but always give a great display of colour.
Campanula
5. VERBENA: I grew this from seed a couple of years ago and really like the way the tall stalks rise above all the other flowers in the flower bed.
Verbena
6. BORAGE: I grow borage in the vegetable plot where it self-seeds. This is another great bee plant.
Borage
A great six, esp. for pollinators! The bees have been going crazy over my lettuce-leaf poppies – it really is a feeding frenzy!
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Great to hear. You’ll have to post a photo.
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Already on for tomorrow… 😉
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looking forward to seeing it:)
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🙂
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What a fabulous collection. You’ve reminded me once again of the value of providing insect sustenance, of the importance of bees and that I must throw handfuls of clover seed around the lawn in spring. I’m growing to find Worcester berries for the berry house as well. And like you, I let the borage seed in the veggie garden for the bees. I also plant rows of sunflowers in the veggie garden for the bees. Thank you so much for showing such fab plants that send out subtle messages.
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It sounds like you have a lovely garden. I encourage my kids to grow sunflowers each year, but this year we only have one!
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I bet the bees round you are very happy chaps.
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I hope so. I do try🙂
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Love the red clover along the path and near that lovely blue fence; so pretty.
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It seems a particularly good year for it.
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I’ve never seen a ringlet butterfly before. They do look so pretty.
Anyway, are Worcester berries anything like red grapefruit do you know? I’m thinking about one more soft fruit to add to the garden.
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They can be quite quite sharp. For us blackcurrants are our most reliable soft fruit.
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Okay, thank you.
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I’ve never heard of Worcester berries before & was about to ask about flavour but you’ve answered that w/your comment for Helen. How do you eat it – fresh, as preserves, desserts, etc? Your garden must be a pollinator’s paradise.
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So far we haven’t had enough to do much with, but I may try jam this year. I do like helping our pollinator where I can.
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Love the red clover! I seem to have white on my lawn now, taking over from the daisies! And I saw four different butterflies in the garden today after moaning I haven’t seen any this year! Perhaps word is out that my café is open 😀
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It sounds like word is out alright 🙂
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Love the variety in your garden. I especially love the vibrant colors of the last few photos. Lovely and what a treasure to have at your fingertips with the bonus of attracting plenty of insects and such.
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I love the colour of borage too, like having a bit of sky in your garden.
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Thank you for sharing your beautiful garden via your lens!
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My pleasure Amy:)
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Good to see clover pictured so well. Hadn’t heard of Worcester berries before. Bet they have a lovely taste.
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A little bit sharp!
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