Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
ALMOST BEEKEEPING - RELATED TOPICS => GARDENING AROUND THE HOUSE => Topic started by: MrILoveTheAnts on September 05, 2008, 12:41:06 am
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For those of you wondering what the bees are working now I can happily vouch for two wonderful plants. Blue Mist Shrubs, Caryopteris x clandonensis, which appears to be have unknown native status but also isn't invasive either. I don't have pictures of these as mine have fallen over and most of their fragrant flowers are aimed at the ground. But we have a long row of them at the college and I observed them full of bees earlier today.
The other big contender before the Goldenrod starts blooming is Sedum. Specifically Black Jack Sedum. Other sedums such as Autumn Joy will also work, and are probably more common, but the bees don't go to it as much.
Sedum, Autumn Joy
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v735/mrilovetheants/Bees%202008/SedumBees9.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v735/mrilovetheants/Bees%202008/SedumBees8.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v735/mrilovetheants/Bees%202008/SedumBees7.jpg)
Sedum, Black Jack
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v735/mrilovetheants/Bees%202008/SedumBees3.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v735/mrilovetheants/Bees%202008/SedumBees.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v735/mrilovetheants/Bees%202008/SedumBees4.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v735/mrilovetheants/Bees%202008/SedumBees5.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v735/mrilovetheants/Bees%202008/SedumBees2.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v735/mrilovetheants/Plants/SedumSkipper.jpg)
Goldenrod has also started blooming but I haven't had a chance to take pictures. There is a monster of a plant growing in my yard though. This year it's sent up loads of suckers, and is about 11 feet tall. It has yet to bloom but when it does rest assured I'll be out there with the ladder. I'll be collecting seeds too and happily send them out. I have no idea what species of goldenrod it is but the closest contenders have been either a Canadian species, or another native one I forget the name of.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v735/mrilovetheants/Plants/Goldenrod.jpg)
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Have you seriously considered sending any photos onto Howland Blackston the author of Beekeeping for Dummies?? He is looking for unusual photos and you certainly have that and how beautiful they are.
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I have already sent in a lot of them earlier last month. I was told to keep them posted and the editor will look through them. Maybe I'll drop them another email.
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Yes do that. I have sent many suggestions to Mr. Howland Blackston for his new book and he just emailed me today to say that many of my suggestions have made their way into his new book. I am so excited about this. He seems like a really nice person and very openminded. Good Luck on getting a photo picked.
Annette
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MILTA. When Brendhan and Janel were visiting, we looked at the Sedum, Autumn Joy, this morning. It is just beginning to show flowers, another week and it will be in full bloom, the flowers will look like a mist, a fuzzy looking pink bloom, pretty, but yes, contrary to popular belief, my bees pay no mind to it. I think that they are too focussed on the Anise Hyssop, Phacelia Tanacetifolia, Borage and Sunfowers, together with the Impatiens Capensis, Impatiens Glandulafera (I didn't think they liked the Glandulifera cultivar of Impatiens, but today, seen, yes they do). I saw this morning, another species of the Impatiens in our ravine, one with a more tinier yellow flower, much more tiny than the Glandulifera or Capensis. I have never noticed this species/cultivar before. I will take a picture. It it very tiny, in comparison.....I do so wonder if the bees are attracted to it. I highly doubt it, as it is in the deep dark ravine, somewhere this time of year, I would not venture a guess that the honeybee would venture. Have a most wonderful and awesomely great day, Cindi
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My neighbors sedum looks like "bee carpet" w/ my bees!!! They are also drinking from her koi pond on the lilies! Thousands of bees too! Lucky she likes me and more importantly, the bees..
Cindi- I too hhave a weed w/ very tiny yellow flowers that bloomed two weeks ago and the bees were all over it. Its mixed in w/ clover and grasses. Maybe three flowers would fit on a pinky nail.
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Konasdad, can you get a pic of the yellow weed? Perhaps it is the birdsfoot trefoil, beautiful day, wonderful day, wonderful life. Cindi
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Of all the places I have looked for my bees this year, none has been so exciting as my Autumn Joy sedum. They are positively devouring those plants! In fact, I have the urge to divide my plants until they are encircling the entire yard! :-D
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You can't get anywhere near my sedum. I think all of my girls are taking field trips to my sedum plot. At times, you can't see the flowers due to the number of bees. They are also working my boneset and goldenrod.
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I hadn't realized they would flock to the sedum the way they have.
I have been planting a couple of sedums every year for years now, I just loved the way they look before and after they bloom so they look good all the time.
They can get fairly huge as well and fill in alot of space.
My hyssops and catmint are still blooming and the bees are all over that as well.
I love a flower that you can get alot of mileage out of. ;)
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Yeah, beekeeping has transformed my idea of gardening. I want to tear out everything that does not attract bees and replace it with the things that do :)