An invitation to bees

You might remember that I put an archway as the gate into each of our veggie patches, as a means of securing a gate, as well as to grow some bee attracting flowers over (and hopefully people attracting too).  Well, we are finally seeing the rewards of our patience as the first blooms have arrived, along with the first days of spring.

They do make each gateway very pretty to walk through.  As for the bees, I haven't seen many yet around these flowers.  They do seem to have a thing for the nasty blue goat weed, which is everywhere here in Queensland.  Though they also seem to love the wooly vetch that we planted on the swales last year as a winter green manure crop.  Thankfully it self seeded and its gorgeous purple flowers are out whilst its busy fixing nitrogen below.

The exciting news is that our dear friend Hans, who is the natural bee guru up here, is getting us a hive in a few weeks to help us with the lack of bees.  He over a dozen hives at his place and the productivity is amazing (he and his wife have been working the soil for years, so its a combo effect really).  But we are thrilled!!  I'll post more about them when they arrive.