garden

First Bees of 2021

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The first few bees of the year have been passing through, as more of the garden starts to come to life, more are coming. The muscari has been helpful, and my decision to move the small gooseberry bush was a good move. It didn’t have any fruit last year despite having some the first year of purchase. So I figured it needed more sun, it’s doing well and already attracting bees! So maybe some gooseberries this year to go with loganberries if that plant also survives it’s relocation. So far so good.

Although I love Spring, this is the frustrating bit for me, where everything is moving along, but slowly. It will take another few weeks for more to happen. But it’s coming…

(c) K Wicks

More Muscari

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Spring is in full swing, slightly held back by this cold snap we are having now, but over the last few weeks the Muscari (Grape hyacinth) has bloomed nicely and started bringing in the bees. I have planted loads more seeds which are all now sprouting so hopefully soon there will be lots of colour in the garden. Some of the seeds are last years poppies, sweet peas and nasturtium I collected and put aside for the following year – and a new pack of bee friendly flowers, so not sure what else will be coming. It’s that exciting time of the growing season!

(c) K Wicks

Orb Weaver Spider – UK

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These are the most common in my garden in summer and autumn, once they web up somewhere I try and take great care to not disturb them. But now and again they are invisible – usually when I am concentrating on taking a picture and my focus is different, so they get disturbed a bit.

(c) K Wicks

Garden spiders UK

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Amazing how many different spiders there have been just in my small garden. I have listed all the ones from the last two years and hopefully will get more this year. And because I have a number of pics for each, I think a post showcasing each of them will soon come as well 🙂

Orb Weaver
Orb Weaver
Wolf Spider (Pardosa)
Crab Spider
Zebra Jumping Spider
Zebra Jumping Spider
Green Meshweb Spider
Spotted Wolf Spider (Pardosa)
Candy-striped Spider
Nursery Web spider
House Spider

(c) K Wicks

Spider on the wall

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The garden has been a bit sparse of late, but as Spring starts to come through and the sun hits more of the garden, things are stirring. This little spider was sat still on the wall clutching his kill, a rare moment where I can take my time and try and get a good shot. Hampered slightly by my garden planter being in the way!

But still I tried to get underneath as best I could to get a shot of the front eyes.

Then a little while after, he was scampering across the wall and stopped for me. I like to think he remembered the photo shoot and wanted another one 😉

(c) K Wicks

Nasturtium Red

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These are lovely plants. Bright, colourful and tasty. Yes, you can eat them! Apparently they have a peppery flavour, of which I haven’t tasted yet. I prefer to plant and leave them for the caterpillars. Small and Large whites absolutely love them. The butterflies lay their eggs on the underside of the leaves, then steadily munch their way through them when they hatch. It’s really cool to see it all happen 🙂

Large White

(c) K Wicks