What's flowering as forage in your area

[Erichalfbee]

Ours is well out but weather isn't playing

 

[WalnutTreeBees]

Seen a few bees working the clover in the garden for the first time today, forecast is still cool though so I don't think they'll make much of it. Bramble is 80-90% done here so it'll be slim pickings soon with just the garden flowers and whatever wildflowers manage escape the farmer's topper.

 

[Nannysbees]

Took a few cuttings on a walk a few years ago. Mass of flowers, pollinators love it

 

[Jon.21]

Found my first hive with “ghost bees” in it yesterday so it looks like the HB is starting here

I noticed the same yesterday. Tell tale signs of balsam being collected for the first time.

 

[RichardK]

Took a few cuttings on a walk a few years ago. Mass of flowers, pollinators love it

What is this plant please? It looks great.

 

[Sutty]

What is this plant please? It looks great.

Looks like a **** - maybe "white wand"?
I'm not a gardener - that's what I found on a Google image search!

 

[Nannysbees]

I think it's a ****, stunning

 

[user 819]

Yes it is a ****, a must have shrub for any garden. I have two very old ones in my garden and past there best tbh but always a magnet for the polinators.

 

[Ely]

Is there much flow going on in your area at the moment? Seems to be dropping off here a bit near Great Yarmouth. Strange mix of Autumn and summer with warm days yet conkers in the trees almost ready to fall. I'm thinking about extracting early this year.

 

[Moobee]

Took a few cuttings on a walk a few years ago. Mass of flowers, pollinators love it

Gorgeous ****, any idea what variety?

 

[Nannysbees]

Gorgeous ****, any idea what variety?

No I'm sorry I don't, next door had a lovely shrub, tried to take cuttings but failed miserably

 

[Erichalfbee]

No I'm sorry I don't, next door had a lovely shrub, tried to take cuttings but failed miserably

A Deutzia. I have one and the bees love it.

 

[Nannysbees]

A Deutzia. I have one and the bees love it.

Brilliant thank you for that, I think I'll have to buy one though as I can't get the cutting to root

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes and you’ll get a bigger plant to start with.

 

[E&MBees]

Teasels and globe thistles flowering at work now. Only the butterfly was willing to stay still long enough for a photo

 

[Moobee]

The girls are all over the persicaria again today. Interestingly, my book of Plants for Bees pretty much dismissed it as a good source of nectar - ‘this plant does not seem to be very freely worked by honeybees’. I would tend to disagree given the activity this week!

 

[The Poot]

The girls are all over the persicaria again today. Interestingly, my book of Plants for Bees pretty much dismissed it as a good source of nectar - ‘this plant does not seem to be very freely worked by honeybees’. I would tend to disagree given the activity this week!

I disagree too, it’s one of the most visited flowers in the garden - beloved of wasps too, but it keeps them away from the hives…..

 

[WalnutTreeBees]

Any recommendations for particular varieties of persicaria (for the bees)? Been wanting to get some there's too many to choose from.

 

[Moobee]

Any recommendations for particular varieties of persicaria (for the bees)? Been wanting to get some there's too many to choose from.

This variety is persicaria amplexicaulis ‘firetail’. Took about a year to establish from 9cm pots but has bulked out really well and is now self seeding.

 

[Moobee]

The girls are heavily working the phormium flowers this morning between showers for bright orange pollen & nectar which they obtain by diving right in.