This is the doorway into one of 21 bee hives we have in the orchard for the Kiwifruit pollination.( they sort of crash land then crawl under the gap )( notice the one flapping it's wings - they go so fast they are a blur )
A bee foraging in a female Kiwifruit flower ( and in the process we hope distributing male pollen ). It has been a week of perfect weather - very hot and calm. That makes it easy for the bees to work. In that week about 75 % of the females have flowered. Small fruit just set are now everywhere.
Underneath the vines the ground looks like this.
The already fallen petals.
As an experiment we also have a box of bumble bees ( Bombus terrestris )
in the avocado block.
This we purchased and it now belongs to us. The 21 hives for the kiwifruit are hired and will return to their owners shortly once they have worked for us.
Today I photographed this fellow on my scarlet runner beans. Is it one from that box?( or one that was already living here in a clay bank? )
It or another has set me some beans anyway.
And some passionfruit. I think this is funny cause this poor plant is still growing in a bucket sized pot...waiting for it's frame to be built. We will give it lots of water and hope that they mature to eating stage. It is using a neighbouring Nandina plant to climb up.
So although we are very hot we are very very grateful for such perfect pollination weather for all our crops.
*****
Some other photos.
On Thursday Percy Peacock came to visit me under the vines and is altogether too noisy and cheeky. He would have taken my afternoon tea out of my hand if I hadn't shared with him. A neighbour mainly feeds him now. He only comes back here when something has upset him ( a vehicle or noise usually ) or is in his patch. We don't see much of him and that's fine by me.
(this is for you Meg)
This week flowering in the garden are Filipendula which are so dainty.
Brunsfelsai or Yesterday Today and Tomorrow.
Early this morning the bird bath was looking quite inviting.
For birds that is. Pigeons ( Kereru ), Tuis especially love it and sometimes Thrush and Blackbirds. It needs replenishing quite often in this heat and with some splashing as the Tui submerges at least 6 times at every bath.
Sorry to report no quilting has taken place this week - can't do everything. I did go to P and Q group on Friday but 4 of us did a big Library audit instead of sewing.
5 comments:
We have so few bees here, now. I loved seeing yours and a breath of summer! It is freezing weather here.
Your little piece of heaven must smell gorgeous at the moment!
Yes Jennifer it does, but it can be very heady and almost too much sometimes.
It's lovely to see those busy bees, They are real friends in the garden(and orchard). Your garden is quite a picture, so pretty!
Hopefully this bodes well for a big kiwi harvest this year! I would definitely think that it would be hard to get any quilting done when it's so beautiful outside!
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