To Bee or not to Bee
Are you enjoying the improving weather out in the garden? And if so, are you priming your garden for bees? đ¸
We have a few tips below from The Little Garden People on Boston Road and some lovely local bee merch which is perfect for the season.
đ Get Sarah Wyndham Lewis's 'Planting for Honeybees' from Mooch
Of the 25,000 known species of bee worldwide, only seven species are honeybees, and the shrinking of green spaces has placed them in danger. Planting for Honeybees shows you how you can help these delightful pollinators to flourish by creating a habitat for them. No matter how small or large your space, from a window ledge in the city to a country garden, Sarah Wyndham Lewis offers practical advice on which plants to grow, and when and where to plant them.
đ Buy a beautiful bee from Alex Monroe's collection available at For Arts Sake.
Alexâs Iconic Bumblebee Necklace. The original design beloved by the Alex Monroe team, fans and celebrities alike. Hand textured with exquisite detailing, our Bumblebee has been a favourite for over a decade.
đ Buy a pot of the new Pearly Queen Ealing honey (read more about this company in our Local Shopping List feature.) With a subtly tropical taste of pineapple and banana it's perfect for the sunny weather. These hives are able to make the most of the unique variety of plants and flowers in the Ealing area to make a truly delicious honey.
đ Sara of Hen Corner,a member of the Ealing & District Bee Keeping Association, the London Bee Keepers Association and the British Bee Keeping Association, hosts Bee Keeping courses in Brentford during which you'll be given an introduction to urban bee keeping. You will learn about the bees, the role of the beekeeper, different types of bee hive (Omlet Beehaus, National, Poly Nuc) and much more.
đ TOP TIPS from The Little Garden People:
Pollinating plants are of course the best for attracting bees to your gardens, plants such as: Cone flower, lavender, borage, rosemary, sunflower, foxglove, honey suckle and yarrow, surprisingly bees also love chive!
Other great ways to lure them in is to allow lawn âweedsâ to flower by cutting less often, providing water for pollinators and avoid using pesticides wherever possible.