pictures to lift the heart

[E&MBees]

Everything was fresh and green after the rain. Hawthorn is in full flower now.

 

[E&MBees]

Everything was fresh and green after the rain. The Hawthorn is now in flower.

 

[Newbeeneil]

my own bee-loud glade

with apologies to William Butler Yeats

Looking lovely Merry!

 

[Swarm]

MerryBee, that photo is simply divine.

 

[Murox]

my own bee-loud glade
https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=17939&d=1587136782
with apologies to William Butler Yeats

This has my vote for photo of the month.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Archway made from living willow, Rose, ivy, clematis. 15 years old

Sent from my YAL-L21 using Tapatalk

 

[Buzz Bee Babe]

Archway made from living willow, Rose, ivy, clematis. 15 years old

Sent from my YAL-L21 using Tapatalk

I love the Arch. I was planning on using live willow fencing etc to border off my Apiary. Any tips?
Take care. BBB

 

[Murox]

Can't match the beauty of E&MBees images, but I do get these growing wild .

 

[Curly green finger's]

Can't match the beauty of E&MBees images, but I do get these growing wild .

Are they violets murox, nope they look like cyclamen?

 

[Murox]

Wild violets/viola/gentian - one of those anyway tend to be on old sand dunes mainly so some 'soil' and only a couple of centimetres high.

 

[E&MBees]

Can't match the beauty of E&MBees images, but I do get these growing wild .

Thank you Murox, for the complement about my photos. I just use my phone camera. Takes quite a few attempts though sometimes. I think the dog gets a bit fed up waiting for me!

Are the flowers Sweet Violets? Not many around here. Tend only to get Dog Violets, which don’t smell.

 

[Curly green finger's]

I love the Arch. I was planning on using live willow fencing etc to border off my Apiary. Any tips?
Take care. BBB

If you look on the Web they say to take hardwood or semi-ripe hardwood cuttings, That are 10 inches or so long in late winter - ish..

I cut 2 inch round cuttings that were 4/5 ft high and literally stuck them in the ground about 12/18 inches deep in Febuary time when the soil and weather was warm.

You could even make your cuttings bigger, oh another tip don't let the soil dry out round the cuttings.

I hope this helps

 

[Buzz Bee Babe]

I appreciate your reply Curly Green fingers. I’ve harvested about 20 cuts at the 10 a 12 inch and placed them in a vase that I’ve placed in a paper bag. So I’ll see how they fare. But I’m glad you’ve mentioned the four ft cuts as that IMO will make for better fencing. The plan was to weave the whips in between the longer cuts as time goes by. I’ll give it a try. Thank you. BBB

 

[enrico]

I can but hundreds here as they harvest them. Tried fencing and buildings. They take a few years to get good enough to weave together. Every time you cut them they split in two. First year cut to the ground so you get two main stems. Then cut further up each year. They harvest in spring as they begin to shoot
E

 

[Buzz Bee Babe]

I can but hundreds here as they harvest them. Tried fencing and buildings. They take a few years to get good enough to weave together. Every time you cut them they split in two. First year cut to the ground so you get two main stems. Then cut further up each year. They harvest in spring as they begin to shoot
E

Thank you Enrico, that makes complete sense. I will keep you posted on my efforts. Really appreciate the advice. All the best. BBB

 

[bingevader]

If you are putting them in now, you will need to keep them well watered.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Thank you Enrico, that makes complete sense. I will keep you posted on my efforts. Really appreciate the advice. All the best. BBB

Out of interest which variety of willow are you growing?

 

[enrico]

It is the willow they use for weaving. Red doesn't take well but the green and yellow takes fine. They sell bundles of 6 foot whips with about 100 in a bundle for £9. Stick them in a bucket and they all root.
E

 

[Buzz Bee Babe]

If you are putting them in now, you will need to keep them well watered.

Thank you for the tip. I will do just that

 

[Buzz Bee Babe]

Out of interest which variety of willow are you growing?

The willow I’ve cut already was just taken from the park in which my Apiary will be, I’ve absolutely no idea of what type it is. Is there a willow more suited to bees or even live structures? Thanks for your time. BBB