A Bee And Three Flies

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Early this morning, we drove Sheila to Brockenhurst for her return home. Apart from Jackie’s planting , and my occasional wander round the garden on this overcast day, we spent it flopping.

We have blooming clematises

Clematises Niobe and Arabella

Niobe and Arabella on the kitchen wall;

Clematis Comtesse de Bouchaud

Comtesse de Bouchaud sporting a fennel veil;

Clematis Durandii and geranium palmatums; and bee

Durandii, making its way above geranium palmatums playing host to a bee in the rose garden;

Clematis Margaret Hunt

Margaret Hunt;

Clematis recovered

and this one Jackie recovered after finding that a creature had burrowed underneath it. We had wondered why it wasn’t doing anything.

Rhododendron, geranium palmatums, and clematis Star of India

The recently flowering rhododendron blends well with the Clematis Star of India, the ubiquitous geranium palmatums, and poppies against Jackie in the background.

Poppies

Here are more poppies leading us to the Rose Garden,

Rose garden reflection

where Laura Ford is reflected on the side of the potting shed;

and where thrive, among others,

Shropshire Lad and fly

Shropshire Lad,

Crown Princess MargareteCrown Princess Margarete

Crown Princess Margareta,

Rose Mamma Mia and fly

Mamma Mia,

Rose Gertrude Jekyll

Gertrude Jekyll,

Rose Mum in a Million

and Mum in a Million.

Rose red

This red rose was rescued from the jungle by Elizabeth;

Rose scarlet

this scarlet one stands in the Oval Bed;

Rose pink

and this pink one in the small triangular bed outside the stable door.

Oval Path

The tall scarlet rose is evident in this view of the Oval Path.

Honeysuckle 1

Honeysuckle

Honeysuckle 2

now climbs above the entrance to the Rose Garden which is visible

View from Back Drive

from the entrance to the Back Drive.

A bee is flagged up in the text. Three roses each bear a fly. Can you find them?

Mr Chatty Man provided our Hordle Chinese Take Away meal this evening. Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I finished the Chateauneuf du Pape.

58 comments

  1. I see where pink is once again beginning to dominate. No wonder most bees (being girls) come into the garden. The bee attracted to the blue Durandii must’ve been a drone.

  2. Mama Mia and Shropshire Lad have tiny visitors and I think there might be a ladybird on the red [rede] rose? She’s very blurry and super tiny even biggified …….

  3. In total agreement with Pauline’s answer to your insect question…and I didn’t know most bees were girls until I read Bruce’s comment. I still don’t know.

  4. I guess the breeders of these flowers choose the names, but what’s up with Gertrude Jekyll? What kind of name is that for such a beautiful rose? (Sounds like the name is saying that women have split personalities.) And I’m not sure your scarlet rose is really scarlet. Looks more like reddish orange, or maybe like a blood orange. Your camera is so much better than mine at picking up reds. 🙂

  5. A beautiful garden tour, Derrick. I see a fly each on Shropshire Lad and on Mamma Mia but I also found a ladybird on Elizabeth’s jungle rescue and I think there’s a second bee in the geraniums 🙂 I loved the fennel against the clematis and the honeysuckle is wonderful too … I can imagine the scent …

  6. I hope your beautiful garden is still OK. We have had very strong rain for quite prolonged periods, and, presumably because it is warm, plenty of episodes of thunder and lightning. At the moment, it’s still solidly overcast.

  7. What a delight to walk through your abundant garden in full flower Derrick .. The Rain I am sure if you are getting any down South today will be doing those roses good, as I know they get thirsty as do the Clematis,
    Such beauty to walk through and sit in each day..
    Enjoy a peaceful Sunday my friend.. And thank you kindly for your lovely comment..

    Sue 🙂

  8. Have I missed the background story on Mr Chatty Man? Perhaps one day he’ll join you and Jackie for the meal too? 🙂

    I love the honeysuckle over the archway and the Margaret Hunt is gorgeous. And while we’re on Margaret’s – the Crown Princess Margareta is a stunner too.

    1. Many thanks, Mek. It is only the second time I have used Jackie’s name for the very small Chinese man with a very loud voice who runs the outlet. He is very chatty.

  9. Beautiful and bountiful. We had a cool, rainy Spring. The roses/flowers are abundant, but there is a bumper crop of flies this year. Any connection ? You seem like the right person to ask…☺

  10. Absolutely lovely Derrick! Such beauty and color – it brings joy to me seeing these wonderful flowers. Have a happy day my friend! 🙂

  11. It’s been a while Derrick, but your shots picked up right where I left off – so beautiful. The walkways are very special. Congrats to you and Jackie, all your hardwork is paying off in dividends.

  12. I think the flowers are one of the main reasons I have a bias towards your garden. Really gorgeous images. Your photographs are so alive one can feel what it must be like to walk through it and smell it as well as see it.

  13. Beautiful garden, and great pictures of flies. I’m struggling with camera shake on the new camera – either from the massive magnification of the lens or increasing age. 😉

  14. Heavens! You have a floral fantasy jungle at your feet. Amazing! Does it take every waking hour to manage it? Just beautiful Derrick! I especially love Gertrude Jekyll roses and have photographed them many times. I’ve never tried to grow one due to our climate but I always love it when I see one. I also had a bit of a ‘ahhhh ha!’ moment when I saw your mirror hung there. I have a wall of sweet pea’s that I can’t see from our back deck as it’s around the corner. Now if I hung a giant mirror on the fence, voila!! Instant3 sweet pea view. You’ve hatch a plan for my own garden, thank you! x B

    1. Many thanks, B. I have to say, now the really heavy stuff is over, it is Jackie who spends every waking hour in there. Well, someone has to record and post the work 🙂

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