Hampton Court Flower show was an early start, the journey slow, having found the park and ride scheme I arrived just before opening. I made my way to the Edible Garden exhibit sponsored by the RHS. The emphasis within this garden is on food from plants and highlights the need for pollination. The British Bee keeping Association in this garden have flying bees at the show for the first time. They would be giving demonstrations, going through the hive and answering questions, helping people to understand the honey bee. The public were able to view the hives from the safety of a breeze hut and enjoy bees in an observation hive. The people who visited the stand were really interested in bees, asking questions and enjoying the live bee demonstrations. The bees were enclosed within seven foot netting and able to fly up and out of the enclosure to forage. By 11am they were quite busy coming and going. The time went by quickly, my legs and voice were a little worse for wear towards the end of the shift. It was enjoyable to meet other bee keepers listen to them and watch them work the hive. The bees were well behaved.
I did wonder where the bees were foraging, later that afternoon I found lots of them in the middle of the show ground, working on a large patch of alums, beautiful blue onions flowers. They were in competition with the bumble bees.
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Welcome Nascot Wood Bees
This my first post and welcome to Nascot Wood bees. I took up bee keeping after my ability to take long afternoon walks became more difficult due to a gammy hip. I became hooked after taking a short beginners course and having the opportunity to look in a hive. Now three years on and still learning my passion is still there. Can’t go any where without spotting bees.
Tomorrow I’m off to Hampton Court flower show. The theme bees in the edible garden. I will be assisting the public in answering questions on bee keeping foraging habits and the names of the garden vegetables and flowers. This came about via the British Bee Keeping Association who asked for volunteers to help on the stand. I was lucky enough to be chosen. Great I thought until I got the brief attached with all the plant names carefully labelled mostly in Latin. Shame I can’t take my daughter who did Latin at school. Any way the bee suit is packed ready for an exciting day. There will be an opportunity to be part of live hive demonstrations and talk bees for hours. Bee heaven!