What's flowering as forage in your area

[The Poot]

Heavens that’s late. Mines been over for ages

Having thought about that, this buddleia is right on schedule, as an August / September bloomer. Much else has been behind schedule having started growth late this year. I noticed from posts on here that even the brambles were two to three weeks behind most areas, including those up North, which seemed strange. I’m in a clay valley and I think it seems to warm up more slowly than other areas, even fairly locally , where chalky subsoils are the norm.
Just another local variation to come to terms with.

 

[The Poot]

Today’s popular flower (popular every day) is the cranesbill geranium.

 

[CLB]

In our garden this lovely deep blue agapanthus has been pulling the bees in. Just acquired and not found a home as yet (have to extract the mint from its root ball first). As it’s so busy with bees I don’t want to break it up until the flowers have gone over.

 

[E&MBees]

In our garden this lovely deep blue agapanthus has been pulling the bees in. Just acquired and not found a home as yet (have to extract the mint from its root ball first). As it’s so busy with bees I don’t want to break it up until the flowers have gone over.

View attachment 28044

Beautiful colour

 

[The Poot]

In our garden this lovely deep blue agapanthus has been pulling the bees in. Just acquired and not found a home as yet (have to extract the mint from its root ball first). As it’s so busy with bees I don’t want to break it up until the flowers have gone over.

View attachment 28044

Better blooms than mine has had this year. You’re right, it is a bee magnet.

 

[CLB]

Better blooms than mine has had this year. You’re right, it is a bee magnet.

I've had mixed results with mine. Some have been better than ever, others haven't flowered at all, even an expensive one I bought from RHS Wisley. My late flowering one looks to be as normal. Just starting to flower - we bought it from Bressingham in the early 1990s, I think its "Bressingham Blue". Bees seem to be preferring the new darker one!

 

[Curly green finger's]

What’s wrong with putting a few cleaning strips in? You could still eat the honey

Now that's a thought.
Be careful anyone might think thats a good idea

 

[Moobee]

Sedums starting to flower and verbena still going strong.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Sedums starting to flower and verbena still going strong.

Just waiting for mine

Heleniums are getting a lot of attention as is the Eucryphia in the background.

 

[The Poot]

Just waiting for mine
View attachment 28048
Heleniums are getting a lot of attention as is the Eucryphia in the background.
View attachment 28049

That’s a magnificent bank of sedum - wow!

 

[StephenT]

Lots of Japanese Anenomes in the garden which they like collecting pollen from.

 

[Murox]

Spotted a field full of flowering clover at the farm today. seems late but there it is, just maybe with a week of warmer weather there will be some nectar to be had. I live in hope .

 

[Nannysbees]

In our garden this lovely deep blue agapanthus has been pulling the bees in. Just acquired and not found a home as yet (have to extract the mint from its root ball first). As it’s so busy with bees I don’t want to break it up until the flowers have gone over.

View attachment 28044

Can you leave it in the pot? Do you have to take it in for the winter?

 

[Nannysbees]

Lots of Japanese Anenomes in the garden which they like collecting pollen from.View attachment 28051

Make quite a show, I have them but not as many

 

[CLB]

Can you leave it in the pot? Do you have to take it in for the winter?

The plant is only resting in the tub-trug, its just the rootball and no earth, so I will have to make it happy for the winter after I've got the mint out of it (& I've promised my neighbour some). I'll likely put it with the others in the greenhouse. They usually make it through the winter in the ground here, but as its such a nice one I don't want to risk it.

 

[Nannysbees]

The plant is only resting in the tub-trug, its just the rootball and no earth, so I will have to make it happy for the winter after I've got the mint out of it (& I've promised my neighbour some). I'll likely put it with the others in the greenhouse. They usually make it through the winter in the ground here, but as its such a nice one I don't want to risk it.

What do they need through the winter? Do you water or feed, my greenhouse isn't heated

 

[CLB]

I'd usually wait until the foliage dies back (although some are evergreen), then bring them in mid October-November-ish. I did heat my greenhouse last year, to stop the temp falling below 5 degrees as I'd just been given some quite exotic plants from a guy in Devon and I also have a number of tender salvias. In the greenhouse I'd aim to keep the plant just moist, so it never sits in water and is protected from winds, cold and moisture. The late flowering ones I've had in the ground since the early 1990s and they have been fine without protection. If the weather turned really bad, I might just cover the crowns with some straw for a short while. Last year I took all the potted ones inside, but usually some of them stay outside.

 

[Nannysbees]

I'd usually wait until the foliage dies back (although some are evergreen), then bring them in mid October-November-ish. I did heat my greenhouse last year, to stop the temp falling below 5 degrees as I'd just been given some quite exotic plants from a guy in Devon and I also have a number of tender salvias. In the greenhouse I'd aim to keep the plant just moist, so it never sits in water and is protected from winds, cold and moisture. The late flowering ones I've had in the ground since the early 1990s and they have been fine without protection. If the weather turned really bad, I might just cover the crowns with some straw for a short while. Last year I took all the potted ones inside, but usually some of them stay outside.

Thank you for that bought mine today after seeing your lovely picture, will pot in on take it in over winter and cross my fingers

 

[CLB]

Very best of luck, they’ve been really great plants for me (& now also my bees), I hope yours will be as good for you.

 

[pargyle]

I'm in st Andrews, Scotland this week... bees all over the honeysuckle in the garden... some dandelions and thistles still about and the town floral displays and the rose bay willow herb getting lots of attention. The Fsirmibt hotel have a,wildflower meadow that has lots of good pollinator plants in flower. The heather in the north Yorkshire moors around Haworth on the way up was spectacular but no visible bee hives ... perhaps hidden away from sight.