Flowers and the bees

From early spring until early summer I have observed and taken photos of the busy bees at our gardens, both bumble bees and honey bees. 

You have to be quick to capture them on one flower and I was so lucky one day when I got this shot of both a honey bee and a bumble bee sharing the pollen in a poppy.

Poppies are one of the early spring flowers but keep on flowering for a number of months.  There are always bees around them.

In mid September some of the gardeners were clearing their plots for planting - others thankfully were waiting for warmer weather.  I say thankfully because when I visited the gardens you could hear the bees buzz with excitement over the overgrown brassicas and radishes that were left to flower in plots.  These flowering brassicas are important for the bees.

Daikon radish is another tall flowering plant that the bees were feasting on.

I enjoy how some of our gardeners like Rosie has here mix flowers with vegetables. This is not only appealing to our eyes but is important for bees and gives a longer term home for predator insects.  

By having perennial or plants that these predator insects can live in near your vegetables predator pests can concentrate on feeding on insect pests in their immediate environment rather than taking long commutes.  They don't want to use energy commuting unless they have to.

Calendulas are great additions to the veggie garden as they flower for a number of months and are one of the early arrivals in spring. I particularly like the dark centred calendulas(also known as pot marigold) to be found seeding around the gardens and in garden plots and the leaves can be used in salads so they have a double purpose and therefore deserve a place in your plot.

The borage flower is also useful in the kitchen and bees just love it. I made borage soup in early spring and it was delicious.  I am keen to try it again as a summer soup using cucumbers and borage. The blue flowers so attractive to bees are also attractive on cakes and in summer salads. For me borage and calendula are my two "must haves".

In springtime a welcome sight are tulips

In September with the longer and warmer days herbs like coriander and rocket quickly start to flower in preparation for going to seed. Both flowers are very attractive when you stop to look at them.

I like the delicate pink blooms of the coriander and the flowers can be used in salads.

The rocket flowers on first glance don't look that exciting but close up you can see the delicate nature of the blooms. These peppery flowers can be used in salads and have the telltale cross shaped flower of the brassica family.

In November another striking blue flower in the gardens appears - the statuesque Echium pinniniana. This Echium originally came from the Canary Islands.

Then along came the much awaited sweet peas.

 Hollyhocks started blooming in November.  Hollyhocks are a feature of our gardens and self seed to continue supply. There are a variety of pinks and reds and they are the original open flower variety that make them easy access for bees.

More flower spires in Liz's garden in December with elegant Foxgloves.

Foxgloves are poisonous and when you look at the flowers close up there is something that indicates that this flower is slightly sinister...is the patchy spots or the hairs?

Along one boundary we have Canna Lillies in red, orange and yellow.

These are just a few of the flower species we have scattered around the gardens.  It's not only because of the flowers that we have plenty of bees, just a few metres away are the hives of the Auckland Beekeeping Club. It's a win/win situation for the club bees and our gardens.