What's flowering as forage in your area

[Curly green finger's]

Girls?????

I can see shadows of bee's can't you?
It's a zoomed in photo i bet the noice was musical.
Nothing like walking through a field of flowers with bees making them hum, I'm yet to observe osr but thistles and a few others I have, can't wait .

 

[Nannysbees]

Not the best at posting pictures, the next one I'll ask for help

 

[OrchardBees]

40ft box. What variety is that.? Our boxes are knee high to a grasshopper! Still the bees are out on crocus, and bringing in pale creamy grey pollen - from willow? They also had a good go at stinking hellibore but that seems over now. Black thorn just starting to open and viburnum tinens.

40ft long, not high!

 

[pargyle]

A pic of the hedge would be nice, I have a wooden fence bordering next doors garden and it rots because the old boy stacks rubbish against it. so need something nice to put in it's place instead.

I have the same problem with my neighbour ... he has a gardener that established a compost bin using one my fence panels as the back of the heap. . I've replaced the panel twice as it rots away very quickly... I've asked him nicely to stop doing it ... I even offered some pallets to get it away from the fence ...sadly some people you just can't reason with ...its happening again at present as I can see the bottom part bulging out . . He's going to get a bill this time...

 

[user 819]

I'm not replacing the panels any more and this morning have visited the local GC and one whiff of the Sarcacocca's and I bought a few, these will in time become a nice hedge and will also allow more access for wildlife to come and go. Currently have a foxy who visits every night for titbits, it may be one of the three cubs from last spring that played in the garden and continued well in to late last year before the singular visit.

 

[Amari]

I can see shadows of bee's can't you?
It's a zoomed in photo i bet the noice was musical.
Nothing like walking through a field of flowers with bees making them hum, I'm yet to observe osr but thistles and a few others I have, can't wait .

OSR round here has been munched down by the pigeons so only 4-6" high. However farmer tells me he's optimistic for a good crop. Most years he's pessimistic and doesn't take kindly to insectophiles who want the neonic ban to continue.

 

[Amari]

40ft box. What variety is that.? Our boxes are knee high to a grasshopper! Still the bees are out on crocus, and bringing in pale creamy grey pollen - from willow? They also had a good go at stinking hellibore but that seems over now. Black thorn just starting to open and viburnum tinens.

The goat (pussy) willow here is still a week or so off opening. When it does, on a warm day, the buzz of the bees is louder than I hear in late June on the lime.

 

[gmonag]

The goat willows on my drive started flowering yesterday and there were so many bees in it, they sounded like a stadium of vuvuzelas.

 

[Popparand]

40ft long, not high!

Ah. Now I understand!

 

[Curly green finger's]

Oops

 

[Murox]

Saw my first dandelion of the year yesterday, also some celandine at a new apiary site. Coltsfoot has been around for a week or so too.

 

[The Poot]

Particular dearth of blackthorn here, perhaps the annual massacre of hedgerows by the farmers has something to do with it.
Hellebores and celandine still good. Hoping for a better bramble year this year.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Particular dearth of blackthorn here, perhaps the annual massacre of hedgerows by the farmers has something to do with it.
Hellebores and celandine still good. Hoping for a better bramble year this year.

My blackthorn hedges are a long way off flowering but the bees are running airfreight trips from somewhere out of sight over them.

 

[ericbeaumont]

the annual massacre of hedgerows by the farmers

Is there a sound reason why they cut and slash with such ruthless and expensive abandon?

 

[madasafish]

Is there a sound reason why they cut and slash with such ruthless and expensive abandon?

A tractor with flail is the most cost effective way.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Is there a sound reason why they cut and slash with such ruthless and expensive abandon?

Roadsides - they can be penalised by local authorities if hedges impinge on road users 'enjoyment' of the road, the farmers also get loads of flack from road users if the hedges aren't trimmed to buggery
Due to all the wildlife legislation they have a narrow window to do the work
Likewise, they don't want to do it midwinter if possible as the fields are a morass
The new flail hedge 'cutters' are less prone to jamming, breakage and more or less mulch the clippings so they don't need to clear up after.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Roadsides - they can be penalised by local authorities if hedges impinge on road users 'enjoyment' of the road, the farmers also get loads of flack from road users if the hedges aren't trimmed to buggery
Due to all the wildlife legislation they have a narrow window to do the work
Likewise, they don't want to do it midwinter if possible as the fields are a morass
The new flail hedge 'cutters' are less prone to jamming, breakage and more or less mulch the clippings so they don't need to clear up after.

There used to be hedge cutters which were large spinning blades on a hydraulic arm. They would slice through almost anything. Apparently one disc became detached and rolled like a detached wagon wheel. It ended up embedded in a tree nearly half a mile away.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

First wave of dandelions out at Brynmair

 

[Erichalfbee]

First wave of dandelions out at Brynmair

Just waiting for them here.
Later than last year.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Saw a bank of them in the sun beside the road today!!!!!!!