Tags
beekeeping course, Farrow and Ball, honey bees, Humble by Nature, Sedum 'Purple Emperor', Sedum spectabile, Sussex University
I’ve been feeling a bit glum the last few days with one thing and another and the weather is miserable, AGAIN. It was like November on the plot yesterday, the wind whipping the fleece cover off my brassicas and the sunflowers and dahlias needed some remedial staking to prevent stems from snapping. After a night of torrential rain, in fact, at one point it didn’t sound like rain, more like someone had turned on an enormous tap, I’m now greeted with a sky the colour of battleship grey. I thought Farrow and Ball, the paint company famous for the names it gives to its paints, such as ‘cat’s paw’, ‘smoked trout’ and ‘elephant’s breath’ might have a more romantic and enticing way of describing the colour I can see out of my study window. They can’t come up with anything better than ‘down pipe’. Says it all really.
Sedum ‘Purple Emperor’
So, what could I write about that was bright and cheery to bring me out of this descending gloom. After last week’s beekeeping course at Humble By Nature I’m looking out for bees wherever I go. There was a brief dry spell yesterday afternoon and whilst having a bit of a potter I noticed my Sedum ‘Purple Emperor’ plants were covered in bees. Off I went to get the camera and an absorbing half an hour passed as I snapped away. Sometimes it’s great to look at the bigger picture, to be in a vast open landscape which always makes me feel incredibly free and invigorated but, equally, I love getting down to a really small level, getting up close to insects and plants and seeing the incredible detail there is, even on such a minute scale. There is a whole world going on around us that so often passes us by.
Verbena bonariensis
Initially, it was the honey bees that had caught my attention but once I was kneeling on the path I could see it wasn’t just Apis mellifera that was tucking into the pollen and nectar. There were bumble bees, hoverflies and other little insects I have been unable to identify. My entomological skills are frustratingly lacking. Sedums are great plants not only looking good but being incredible sources of pollen and nectar. Some of the first plants I grew, as a child, were sedums and I could quite happily spend hours watching butterflies feeding on them. I think ‘Purple Emperor’ is particularly attractive with its plum coloured, fleshy foliage appearing in spring and then the pink little star-like flowers opening from August. It is much less bulky than other sedums and I love the contrast of the dark foliage with other late flowering plants such as rudbeckias, heleniums and verbena rigida, all excellent sources of pollen and nectar, too. In fact these later flowering plants are vital for insects and, particularly honey bees.
Sedum ‘Purple Emperor’
At this time of year many of our native wildflowers have gone over and honey bees really struggle on their foraging flights to find food. Studies by Sussex University have shown bees have to travel much greater distances in August and September in search of pollen and nectar. At this time of year, perhaps more than any, honey bees have come to rely on garden flowers to provide them with food. Urban bees in fact, are much better off than their rural counterparts because of the greater concentration of gardens and flowering plants available to them.
Sedums are easy to grow; I also grow Sedum spectabile and both have coped with dry spells and this year’s deluge. They are also so easy to propagate from stem cuttings and even from a leaf. Simply remove a leaf from the stem and push it into a pot filled with some compost mixed with quite a bit of grit, water and put on a window sill. It won’t be long before a little shoot will appear from the base of the leaf. Let this grow until you can see roots appearing from the bottom of the pot and then pot on.
Cornflowers providing a tasty meal
Crocosmia, achillea and verbena bonariensis are all proving popular feeding stations in the garden and on the plot this dahlia is attracting a lot of attention.
Dahlia ‘Tahoma Star’
It’s rubbish as a cut flower, dropping its petals within minutes of picking but it has earned its place by obviously being packed full of bee food. The scabious have been a success for me and the passing bees. They last well in a vase, are very prolific and bees love them.
Our bees are struggling so much but as gardeners we can do something to help by planting as many of these bee-friendly plants as possible. For fascinating and informative posts about bees and other topics, take a look at Bee Strawbridge’s excellent blog.
wellywoman 
Very damp and dismal couple of days. Love your helenium – we have some in the garden this year for the first time, I adore them. Bees in our garden are busy at everything as we don’t tend to grow any frilly low-nectar doubles. I’m rubbish at identifying them too, something else on my list of things to learn more about… they are wonderful to watch at work and photograph though.
Heleniums are one of my favourites and flower for such a long period. I love the shocking orange colour.
Some of my favourite plants for bees in my garden are lavender, catmint, verbena, sunflowers and culinary herbs. When I hear bees in my garden, the sound makes me think of a story my mother told me a few years back. My great grandmother died many many years ago, in the early 1950’s. Hers was a swift death from cancer, leaving behind a devastated family, my grandmother never got over the loss of her mother, even 50 years later. My great grandmother was a beautiful and gentle woman and from the stories I have heard of her, I really wish I had met her. My mother was only 7 when she died and her enduring memory of Nanna is the dear old lady sitting on the back steps of her home not long before her death, shelling peas and the loud hum of bees in lavender next to the backdoor.
When I saw your lovely photos of bees on flowers, it made think of this story. I love how plants and gardens and their associated noises and smells bring back memories.
Thanks for another lovely article. I love the Sedum Purple Emperor, I recently planted 3 of these and they are just popping up now. I’d send you a bunch of spring blossoms if I could, to cheer you up!
Thank you Danielle. I love the idea that spring is just bursting out, there in Tasmania. You won’t be disappointed with your sedum, they’re excellent plants. I love lavender too but don’t have any in the garden. It seems to struggle in the welsh wet weather. I need to seek out a variety that can cope because I do miss having it around.
The garden is buzzing at last, torrential rain this morning but this afternoon is lovely hot sun and tomorrow and Sunday are supposed to be the same. My bee and butterfly border is living up to its name but I think I need some more daisy type plants. I can put these in the border by the field at the side where I have a few empty spaces after taking out lots of weeds!! The bees and butterflies are busy feeding frantically at the moment, just hope the sun stays out long enough for them.
I had 4 small tortoiseshell butterflies and too many bees to count on my patch of scabious at the allotment on Saturday afternoon. it’s very satisfying to know that we’re doing something to help our wildlife.
‘Purple Emperor’ just made its way on to my list – thank you! Mind you, the list is getting very long… It poured with rain here today too, and last night, no gardening for me 😦
My list for my cutting patch at the allotment next year is getting longer and longer. need to find some willpower from somewhere.
I’m sorry to read that your weather has been rubbish again. This is a good post, especially useful for anyone wanting to help bees.
I’m used to honey bees when I’m plotting as their hives are only a couple of plots away. I often stop and watch them, and other insects, on the flowers. xx
I’m sure your neighbour’s bees love all the flowers on your plot, especially your calendulas.
I grow a few sedums, but I have not seen Purple Emperor – what a beauty! It’s going on my wish list! Great bee photos, too. It’s nice to think that we are helping out our little friends – and us in the long run – by planting flowers that the bees will love.
Thank you Holleygarden. Sedum ‘Matrona’ apparently is very similar and another great plant.
I usually think of wildlife when I buy new plants. Only today I came across a plant stall outside the charity shop, and when I saw they were selling sedums for only £1.25 I thought I’d have one. I’ve never grown sedum before but I know it’s loved by bees and butterflies so I will find a place for it in my garden. I don’t know what variety it is though which is a shame.
What a bargain and they are so easy to propagate you can have loads of plants in no time at all.
Here in Ireland the rain has abated somewhat although I was woken by a really heavy shower early this morning. Lots of insects about today: Hoverflies, Bumble Bees and Honey Bees. Not too many Butterflies though.
There have been more butterflies in the last couple of weeks here. Several years ago I had 16 different species visit my garden but I’d say I’ve had no more 6 species this year.
It is great that at least among bloggers there seems to be a real desire to help bees! The sound in the garden is something that you can’t capture with a photo and is hard to recall in winter. It is what makes the garden feel alive. Chrisitna
Completely agree. I couldn’t imagine a garden without the insects and wildlife that visit. They are such an integral part of it. WW
Hope that you have had some glimpses of sunshine this weekend WW to chase away the blues. Have seen more butterflies over the last week or so than I have done all summer – think it just must be warmer. Will look into ‘Purple Emperor’ which looks most attractive. I am looking forward to aster ‘Little Carlow’ opening soon as it is a magnet to both bees and butterflies.
Hi Anna, We have had some sun. I really shouldn’t feel like I have SAD in the middle of August! I’ve seen more butterflies in the last few weeks too which has been lovely. I’m a big fan of asters too, as are the bees.
Loving the bees as they are busy this time of year and as my dahlias never bloomed with the drought I am smitten with yours…wonderful post
Sorry to hear your dahlias haven’t bloomed. To be honest I’m surprised mine have coped so well with the weather they’ve had to cope with, they obviously like copious amounts of water!! Thank you, the garden wouldn’t be the same without the bees, butterflies, birds and other creatures in it.
Such stunning photos – I’ve never understood why so many are scared of bees when they do so much good! Thankfully it looks like the weather’s taken an upturn – though I may be just wishfully thinking of an Indian summer.
Thank you Simon. I think people are often worried they might be allergic to the sting but it seems fairly rare and bees generally only sting if they’ve felt threatened. An Indian summer would be lovely and would make it a little for the bad summer. Fingers crossed.