The opium poppies that have been growing behind our sheds (aka the old privies) are on their last gasp now – one or two blooms amongst a phalanx of seed heads. But there’s still plenty of bee forage along the fence – pale mauve spires of spearmint, purple tufts of wild knapweed, the oregano coming into flower.

And there’s also much to entice them inside the garden.

These ornamental strawberry plants have colonized the gravel path. I might have to move them at the end of the summer. They definitely have world domination in mind. And although they make tasty Alpine type strawberry fruits, the blackbirds always seem to get to them first.

Purple Toadflax is another bee favourite, and it also grows itself around the garden.

And finally, here we have a bee in clover, wings all of a dazzle in the midday sun:

 

Now for some really good close-up photography, please buzz off to Jude’s Macro Monday