When you love bees as much as I do, you plant the garden to cater for their needs all year. I have tried to have blooms for every season....it may be winter flowering shrubs, wild flowers or annuals. In July three of my favourites will bloom.......they are in bud at the moment, I would like to introduce you to my star performers.......
the globe thistle, this one is white. Bees, hoverflies, wasps and butterflies will flock to this plant. Children are always attracted to them.......I suppose they almost look like lollipops as their stems extend.
The teasel is the most wonderful wildlife plant. Bees adore it and the goldfinch will feast on its seeds in the winter. The stems carry pairs of glossy green leaves that form a natural cup, rainwater collects in them attracting small birds to drink.
And finally the magnificent cardoon....this plant is fast growing, and a great architectural plant. My two plants have reached two metres in height....they will draw bumblebees in by the dozen. Once on the bloom they are reluctant to leave.........I look forward to showing you these beautiful plants in bloom around the middle of July.
14 comments:
I can't wait to see them in bloom. The teasel and cardoon are two plants I'm not familiar with at all.
I have to admit that when I planted my purple flowers, such as the salvia and nepeta, I just liked their color and shape. I didn't realize they would also be such an attraction to the bees.
Cheryl, these plants are really lovely without the blooms. And you are right about them adding artichectural interest. Are these in the 'wild' part of your gardens? I wonder because of the thistle. Here thistle are the bane of farmers. Looking forward to blooms and bees!
I will look forward to seeing your cardoon in bloom. The buds look like artichokes. Good photo of the bumble bee.
Hi Rose...the favourite colour of the bumble bee is in fact mauve, lilac and purples......they do like other colours....as far as I remember it is something to do with their vision and how they see colour.
I have found that nepeta is the plant they love at the moment....
Hi Beckie....no they are in the island beds.....the globe thistle is not a weed, it is a perennial that comes up every year. When you see it in flower I think you will love it....it is quite beautiful.
The teasel grows wild here but many people include them in their garden because of the amazing flower they produce.
Hi Lisa the cardoon is related to the artichoke and I believe parts of the cardoon are edible......
That bee shot is fantastic :-)
Tku cherrypie........
Cheryl your pictures are amazing!
Great plants. Now I'm getting all kinds of ideas.
Tku crone........
Its good to get ideas from other peoples blog CHRIS...........
Dear cheryl,
I also am looking forward to seeing these blooms. Anything that is good for the bees is good for me!
The teasel sounds very interesting with the way it holds water. Nice for butterflies too.
Sherry
Oh, such different and exotic flowers. I can't wait to see them in bloom. I especially like your description of the teasel. You wouldn't think it had so many different talents (goldfinch feasting on seeds, green leaf stems which hold rainwater for birds - sounds delightful!).
You do have an enchanted garden.
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