It can be surprisingly hard to get a decent photo of a bee. You'd think it would be the easiest thing in the world -- bees don't move very quickly. But they also hunch over on themselves, and their black eyes blend in with their black fur, and what you often wind up with is a dark furry blob with no distinguishing features. So I was happy with these shots, with the bee's face visible.
The bees do love that wallflower, which we've had for several years now. A co-worker gave it to me as a seedling. It seems to be losing some of its vigor so I suspect we'll have to replace it before too long. Wallflowers don't live forever.
We seem to have lost a couple of other garden plants as well. Tammy the tamarisk tree, where the goldfinches loved to perch and nibble on the buds, has apparently died. There's no green growth visible at all -- just dry brown sticks.
Likewise, our orange broom (top photo here) seems to be mostly dead. It has no flowers or leaves, and several dry brown stems. There are a few areas that are still green, but I'm thinking it's toast.
I'm not broken up about either of these losses. I'll remove the plants in the next week or so and maybe we'll put something new in there. (Though maybe not something large -- I've always thought Tammy was in a bad location, in the middle of the roses.) Fortunately I still have about £100 on the garden shop gift card my co-workers gave me for my retirement. Maybe I'll run that errand today.
Yesterday proved to be warmer than expected -- we topped out at about 87º F (or 30º C) but it felt much more tolerable than the days before.
The heat yesterday did feel more tolerable than previous days, at least you can do a bit more in the day without the feel your melting.
ReplyDeleteWe have been hearing about your heat down here on our tv news. Stay cool. I like wallflowers though I have never had one.
ReplyDeleteThe top bee picture is especially impressive. He seems to be looking directly at the photographer and possibly saying or thinking, "What the **** are you looking at buddy?"
ReplyDeleteAren't modern cameras just so good, and aren't phone cameras even better. The bee photos are good.
ReplyDeleteAs for Australia, the best broom is a dead broom, an invasive species.
I always feel a little sad when one of our garden plants die. At the moment I am mollycoddling a very sick Callicarpa that has been struggling to survive for the past three years. I hope you don't have any more fatalities in your garden. The bees need them!
ReplyDeleteCapturing a bee in flight is a challenge, too. It's worth the difficulty, though, just to know they are in the garden.
ReplyDeleteI think my long lived lavender is over. Just dry twigs. But I won't rush to dump it just in case. It was huge and lovely for years, and I would give the neighbors some to dry each year. But I guess everything has a lifetime.
ReplyDeleteThe bee photos are exciting. Nice captures. Such a shame about the dying plants. But just another excuse to get more. I’m glad the heat is not quite so bad but I still cannot imagine what you’re going through there.
ReplyDeleteI always hate it when one of my plants dies. I have a peace lily that I got in 1992 when my father died that is still doing well, despite having me as a plant father. (I do not have a green thumb!)
ReplyDeleteEven if they're hard to photograph the bees seem like natural posers!
ReplyDeleteIt's fun, isn't it? Having a generous gift card! The magic keeps continuing. My orchid is losing flowers. It's my first orchid so I have no idea if I'm watering it too little, too much, or it is just its life cycle. (I don't panic if lilacs die on the tree; they'll be back.)
ReplyDeleteWe watched a documentary on Nat Geo the other day about bees, it was fascinating. Lovely photo of the bee.
ReplyDeleteI'm still waiting and watching to see what survived and what didn't, but flowers have begun appearing:)
I Love Garden Shopping Days - Most Of The Time It Is Basically Walking Around But Still , Love The Serenity Of Shopping In A Nursery - And On A Gift Card , Banner Day
ReplyDeleteStay Silly ,
Cheers
Top photo is the cutest thing I have seen all day,maybe ever! El Nino this summer will be el Nono - baking people and gardens and making we wish for winter. At the very least it gives folks something to complain about other than the orange butthole.
ReplyDeleteI find it almost impossible to get a good bee shot. They're as hard as butterflies to capture. Or harder. Hard as toddlers! They all move too fast.
ReplyDeleteBut you got some. Excellent!
Bumble bees are fun to watch.
ReplyDeleteThat gift card was a great present for your retirement! Your co-workers knew what you would enjoy the most! Good luck shopping for plants.
ReplyDelete