As I have mentioned in articles in this blog, I am a bee keeper. Hundreds of plants happily grow in my gardens, and I spend many wonderful hours tending my plants. Almost all my rose gardens are edged with lavender. The Prince of Wales is not the only person who talks to his plants; I talk even to my bees that thrive in my gardens; sometimes we have buzzing conversations. I have planted every flower that bees enjoy so they will be happy and will stay at home and not swarm to a neighbor’s tree who might not like the idea of their nesting there. When I go to Kew, I check out the bees and turn pages in all publications about bees in the garden. A couple of years ago, one of the gardeners gave me a bit of a tour and history of the bees in Kew. Since then, I have found out that bees are kept on the roofs of many London buildings and homes including Fortnum and Mason. When I was in London in September, I went to Fortnum and Mason to buy a small bottle of honey. It was 20 pounds! I eventually bought honey at the Queen’s Market on the Windsor Crown Estates that Prince Philip oversees. It was wonderful even if I prefer our very sweet mountain honey here in the West. I have been receiving the publications published by a north London bee keeper’s association which intrigue me. Mayor Boris Johnson has taken an earnest effort to promote bee keeping in central London. While I am wandering the streets of London, I watch for bees. And, I have to report that in all the many years I have been going to London and wandering the city streets, I have never seen a London civic bee. I suppose they are all hiding out on roof top gardens, in Hyde Park, and on Hampstead Heath! May I share a few images dealing with bee keeping in London. You might like to sponsor a hive at Kew! Even the Queen is a bee keeper in the Buckingham Palace Gardens!
There are a few bee keepers that really get excited about this hobby!
As my grandchildren say: COOL! The beehives at our guest house are thriving. Hopefully, we will have lots of “home-grown” honey for Christmas presents next year.
Thomas Moore email: TMooreSr@me.com Telephone: 801.791.9918
