What's flowering as forage in your area

[Moobee]

Strong smell of vanilla in the garden by the home apiary - the eleagnus is flowering and I can hear the bees all over it. They appear to have abandoned the ivy for this. Lots of orange pollen going in as well - probably from late flowering asters. My large rosemary bush and the tamarisk is also flowering. Weird weather.

 

[JamezF]

When I was putting the bins out this lunchtime I saw bees working ivy for the first time. There's plenty that still isn't ready though, so I'm guessing this is the first of it even though it seems to have been in bud for ages.

I also saw some working the borage growing in my veggie plot. I suspect they're flowers on plants that germinated from the seed produced by the first planting, but I've never grown borage before so I'm not certain.

James

 

[Newbeeneil]

Was out for a walk along the coast south of Chichester yesterday and saw so much in flower! Dogwood, toadflax, bramble, ivy, gorse. dandelion and bees wasps etc were all over the oak trees.

 

[Nannysbees]

When I was putting the bins out this lunchtime I saw bees working ivy for the first time. There's plenty that still isn't ready though, so I'm guessing this is the first of it even though it seems to have been in bud for ages.

I also saw some working the borage growing in my veggie plot. I suspect they're flowers on plants that germinated from the seed produced by the first planting, but I've never grown borage before so I'm not certain.

James

I grow it every year, the plants that seeded have thick lush green leaves with no flower which we have dug in now for green compost. I planted some from seed late, and they are in flower!!!

 

[solonik29]

Still a lot of ivy here, I was near the apiary and noticed a buzzing sound near this wall with Ivy. Mid October, Marvelous.

 

[Moobee]

Was out for a walk along the coast south of Chichester yesterday and saw so much in flower! Dogwood, toadflax, bramble, ivy, gorse. dandelion and bees wasps etc were all over the oak trees.

No wonder my girls are so busy!

 

[Amari]

Two shrubs that have survived the worst drought I have known:
- Salvia 'Hot lips' (what an evocative name!): has been in flower several weeks and today visited by honeybees (nearest hive 500m) and bumbles.
- Ceratostigma: lovely blue flowers in late summer-autumn. Occasionally visited by the spectacular hummingbird hawkmoth.

 

[JamezF]

Salvia 'Hot lips' (what an evocative name!)

Reminds me of Loretta Swit

James

 

[Sutty]

Reminds me of Loretta Swit

James

MASH was my first thought too

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

The actress who played the original Hotlips Houlihan died back at the beginning of the year

 

[JamezF]

The actress who played the original Hotlips Houlihan died back at the beginning of the year

Sally Kellerman, apparently. I had to look it up. Not sure I've ever seen the film, though I was aware it existed.

James

 

[W0otz]

Made it up to the allotment today - it's been somewhat neglected recently and needed a good tidy up.
Borage and nasturtiums haven't realised summer's over.


Decent number of bees (and other pollinators, mostly hoverflies) on the cosmos.

 

[The Poot]

I noticed just a small patch (of a huge patch) of WINTER Heliotrope in flower yesterday.

 

[madasafish]

Ceanothus and strawberries.. And ivy

AN odd mix.

 

[Plastics]

Field of white mustard in flower across the road - girls going crazy and mid-November!
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[The Poot]

Field of white mustard in flower across the road - girls going crazy and mid-November!
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I found two fields of what I thought was rape - but seeing your photo it could be mustard. I’ll investigate properly next time out with the dogs. Is this sown as a catch crop / to reduce erosion etc during the Winter?

 

[Plastics]

I found two fields of what I thought was rape - but seeing your photo it could be mustard. I’ll investigate properly next time out with the dogs. Is this sown as a catch crop / to reduce erosion etc during the Winter?

Grazing I assume as this am there is a flock of sheep munching their through it!

 

[E&MBees]

Either Blackthorn or Hawthorn flowering here. Sorry about the poor quality photo

 

[Polymorph]

Bees back onto viburnum. Normally after xmas.

 

[Newbeeneil]

My wife and I spent yesterday treking along the South Downs We spotted 10 plants in flower that normally flower up to September...... bees, bumbles and butterflies on them! Strange times we live in!