The Mission Of A Local Bee! (part 01)

Last year for the first time ever I suffered with Hay fever,  at the time I did not know it was Hay Fever.  I first thought I had a cold and I kept telling everyone it was just that!

Then the symptoms got worst - so off I went to the doctor's. Too my surprise he told me - it was Hay Fever and the best thing I could take was Local Honey!

So once I got home I started to look up on line for local honey and where I could get some from.  But I was not so lucky with the search. :(

Then I remember two remedies nettle tea and chamomile tea!  So while I was out shopping for plant's I picked up a box of chamomile tea.

Once I got the plants that I wanted and the tea! Off home I went to put the plants outside!  Also to have a cup of chamomile tea with a sandwich!

I can not lie the chamomile tea reminds me of old dirty sock's yuk!!!!!!

Once I had that rather interesting cup of tea and a lovely ham sandwich, off out I went with my mom;  Too look for local honey!

We did a 100 miles right round scales.  Too find local honey, I went into every farm shop I could find from Washingpool  to Holme farm shop , even all those little farm shops in between!

Every shop had honey, but when I asked where the honey was from? or do you have local (Dorset) honey?  The reply I got was shocking and I found alarming: 'Sorry we have no local honey, we have had to buy in honey from other counties.' Or I was told 'I have losted all my hives due to the winter'. I was even told ' I am very sorry to say I lost mind due to the virus that is hitting the honey bees'.  So I went home without any honey......

On my way home I remember last year (2011) I was getting honey bee's in the garden.  I wondered where they were coming from, I knew there isn't a beekeeper near me!  I also know bee's can travel long distance's, if they have too..   So I worked out the little bee's must of been coming from Chickerell, Dorset maybe... I started to wondered again if there was a beekeeper out at Chickerell.

So again once I got home I searched on the net to see if there was a bee keeper in Chickerell..  I even got in touch with a man to do with beekeepers in Dorset!  But he couldn't even help me!  So I did not know where to look, again!

Nearly two week's pasted and I was at work.  When I got talking to a lady, that told me, about a guy two door's down from her in the village that she live's in, is a beekeeper!

So the next day I phoned the village shop. The nice lady in the shop didn't even know about the beekeeper in her village!  So I was back to square one again!

A few day's later I was in my local whole food shop. When I decided to ask if they had any local honey, (any what have I got to loses) .  To my surprise they had some!

Even more of a surprise is that the honey is from beekeeper of the village, where my customer live's!

So now ever couple of weeks I go into the shop to pick up my supply...

I'm still none the wiser who's honey bee's it is that visits the garden!

Chelsea Flower Show 2012

Can you believe it is (Chelsea 2013) that time of year again? How time flys!

I can just about imagine how and what it is like for the designer's. . . . Well okay maybe not!!!!

But I can say I kind of know as I had a go at the One Show Garden Design competition! Okay still maybe not... 

Anyway. . . . .

Like the last few year's I have not been able to go, the same was for 2012. One day I will get there, I know each year I say ' I will go to Chelsea next year'.  But so far I have not got there - but I do know one day I will!!!! (Sorry if I rabbit on sometimes) 

Before I tell you all my favourite garden's. I do need to say once again Thank You to the BBC coverage to Alan Titchmarsh and co....

I know I do not normally mention about the Great Pavilion.  But some of the exthilbets had really caught my eye.

So Here Is My Favourite's 

Birmingham In Bloom

Designers:Birmingham City Council

Won: Gold 

Location: The Great Pavilion 

O.m.g!!!!! When I saw this for the first time I loved it.  Every think about it from the mini to the Jewel Quarter and the canal's.  To name just a few part's of the garden.  I suppose I am proud of the fact that I am half Brummie.  My family comes from the Jewel Quarter and they was also canal people!

Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical - From Thailand

Won: Gold
Location:  The Great Pavilion 
Web site Nong Nooch Garden

I think you can see from the picture why I love this so much..

Also Did You Know: Nong Nooch used 80.000 Orchid's (Source BBC Chelsea Coverage)

Now out of the Great Pavilion and down to the show and smaller garden's. 

Plant Explorer's Garden

Designer: Karolina Terejak and SAE Students
Won: Gold

I though how cool this garden was with it's
little office for planning stuff and a sweet greenhouse for growing plant's! 

I also love this too!!

Furnzy Garden

Designers:  Chris Beardshaw

Won:  Gold

Website:  http://www.furzey-gardens.org/index.php

I dont think I need to say much about this garden.. Apart from I fell in love with the little thatch building (I love traditional crafts and I believe that they should be kept alive!) Also I loved the adorable planting - finally  Rhododendrons at Chelsea...


Trailfinder Australian

Designer:  Jason Hodges
Won: Silver Gilt 


I was looking forward to seeing these guys and they delivered an - what I would say us Brit's would think of Australian garden to be, with a hot-tub and barque and planted with sub-tropical and native Australia plants! 

Quiet Time: DMZ Forbidden

Designer: Jihac Hwang
Won: Gold
Located: Main Avenue 

I will confess at first I did not like this garden at all. But as the week went on I grew to like it.
I surpose I did not like the garden due to the bullet's and bar-wire, all the sign's of war.  But once I got over that, I could see the beauty it had with in the garden.


HomeBase Teenage cancer Trust

Designer: Joe Swift
Won:  Gold

Wow! What can I say Joe Swift's Teenage Cancer Trust Garden. . .
Is beautiful in every way. I love the curve's of the wall's with the openings in them.. Also how the planting draws your eyes up and through the garden! 

Also I have not wrote about how I loved the Japanese garden too.....
This year in 2013 I'm so looking forward to BBC coverage of 100 years of Chelsea!



The Move

On the 11th of March I (and like other's) woke up to find snow!  But trust me it was not going to stop me from doing what I had planned to do in the garden.

A few week's ago I decided to get rid of my old lil greenhouse as it was falling apart.  I can honestly say 'I did try to save it'.  So My brother took it to the recycling part of the local tip.  I made sure he took it to the right place..... 

So with the old greenhouse out of the way, I had a lil bit more space to move things around!

I have to say I have not moved to much.  But just moved over the Yellow Cape Fuchsia phygelius aequalis, hydrangea and Rhododendron round.  Just so there is air and light getting into were it need to be! 

with a little bit of spring - daff's!

I am also trying to re-design some area's too! Not sure how it will turn out........ Only time will tell! 

My secord challenge Rainbow Roses (part 1)

About three years ago I came across this picture.

At the time I did not know if the rose was real or if some bright spark,  had done a trick with the picture.

It wasn't until November 2010 that I came across the roses outside a florist in town.

(Tryed to get a picture, instead got a vid. I hope you guys/gals can see it okay!)

So once I got home I started searching on line.

At the time I wasn't sure what they were called, so I decide to search rainbow roses.

 I found out the they were called Rainbow roses or Happy roses.

I also came across an report on the Daily Mail about the Happy or Rainbow roses.

So now I know how it is done, I myself fancy having a go at making my own Rainbow/happy rose

Watch this space...

No winding down

Last year was a very odd and sad year in my little garden

The Sad thing was all the wet weather we had destroy some of my plant's I was growing.. :(

But the odd thing and I should not be complaining that most of my flowers are still flowering!!! 

Also the greenery of my daffodil's have started to appear - so to me that only means spring is on its way, Happy times a head! 

Week after next I am planning to get out into the garden and start sorting out, whats to go and whats staying..... Plus over the next few days I will be making my list of seeds and plants I'll be hoping to buy and grow this year. 

I will give you a little warning in a good way as I am planning to mix a bit of old with new.

Christmas Gardening gift's

Here are some of the Christmas gift's my mom gave me at Christmas

I have had this book on my list of things to get for a while.  

So I was really happy on Christmas morning  when I un-wrapped this :) 

Got picture off the box its in!

I use to collected Sylvanian Families when I was younger.  Well actually I stopped about 11 years ago;  But I have kept up-to-date with what's new! 

A few month's ago the Sylvanian Families (Flair) released 'The Beekeeper and Bee hive set' 

Has soon as I saw it I fell in love and I knew I wanted to get this! 

I kind of hinted now and then, by putting it on twitter or writing notes down and even mentioning...

So as you can guess I was over the moon once I un-wrapped this!!!! 

These are so cute and they smell gorgeous too.. 

Just wanted to wish everyone a 

Merry Christmas 

and a 

Happy New Year!

I am also sorry I have not done many post's! 

Has you can guess work and that have got in the way!!!