The waters have receded to a more normal spring level and the daffodils are out. These are where we retire our daffodils when they get too crowded in other parts of the garden. I was not sure the bulbs would survive the dry, hot summer but they do and get enough rain and light in the spring to proliferate.
I love seeing the hazel flower – tiny as they are. There are two on the stem underneath the catkin.
I see the white-tailed bumble bee queens during the winter but it has to be spring before I see the queen Carder bumblebees. They love the dead red-nettle and there is plenty of it in the garden just now.
The biggest spring event for us is when the old plum tree flowers. It is a festival of perfume, buzzing and pollinators.
Such an opportunity for photographs.
Bees and plum blossom are so photogenic.
I could go on like this for some time, but I won’t.
I did say pollinators in the plum tree so I must insert my token butterfly. Probably a tortoiseshell.
I am not going closer than a tortoiseshell. I don’t think it was a small tortoiseshell but please feel free to leave a comment if you know what it is. Before anyone asks – I do not know what colour its legs were, I was lucky to get the picture I did.
Being a frugal type I decided to plant the hyacinth bulbs I had inside for their perfume, after the flowers had finished. My trusty garden tool is used for everything and I swing it around with wild abandon.
I was chilled to realise, when digging the hole, that I had nearly decapitated a hiberating toad. I think it must have been the root that saved him. I had to pick him up to make sure he still had four legs.
He sat quietly to the side while I redug a hollow under the root. He accepted his repositioning calmly and looked less upset than I was.
So all is well in the garden with the Carpenter bees swooping noisily onto the heather.
All the bees love the Hellebore and there are even more than ever this year.
But the biggest news today was that the Osmia cornuta males are emerging from the bee houses. I do love to watch them and if you would like to share you can see more of my photos at Bees in a French Garden.
a french garden 