May is a time for poppies in the garden. We let the poppies self seed and then give stray ones a helping hand to find more acceptable positions but you have to be quick as they do not transplant well after seedling size. This year our big blowsy pink poppies have reverted to much more normal red poppies. I did not know that they would revert or perhaps they have crossed with something else. I will have to source some new seeds.
Some of the flowers are insignificant for us, but not for the bees. Our Gleditsia “Sunburst” planted in 2016 is finally producing enough flowers to be interesting to the bees.
The Melia azerdarach has a more rapid growth and although it can become a very large tree the flowers have the benefits of being perfumed and beautiful as well as being attractive to the bees.
In May we peer up into the Kaki tree to watch for the Kaki flowers. This year they are very plentiful and are being well polinated by the bees. The waxy petals are already starting to fall of to reveal the beginings of the fruit, but they will not be mature until the end of the year.
We have lots of Nepeta and it is abundant in May attracting lots of life and our first Hummingbird Hawk Moths.
The blue geraniums multi task as ground cover all summer and food for the bees starting in May.
The Ceanothos which we have had trouble to grow seems to have finally decided that it will live. It attracts a very tiny little bee which I find very appealing.
The little bee is also partial to the Lychnis coronaria, just out in the garden.
So many flowers burst open in May and the bees are spoiled for choice just now. One of the favourites is the Hypericum. The Hypericum has bright yellow pollen and the honey bees are bringing it into the hives with their loads of bright yellow pollen glowing on their legs.
There are so many flowers in the garden just now but even as I appreciate the beautiful sports of the self seeding poppies I wonder if anyone has a good recommendation for seeds of a large annual pink poppy.
a french garden 