THE MODERN MINT BLOG
Fine news for beekeepers today – a total ban on bee-harming pesticides has been announced!
To celebrate, here is a list of plants we recommend as being brilliant for the bees:
- Helenium
- Sedum
- Echium vulgare
- Marjoram or Oregano
- Eupatorium (common name? Joe Pye-Weed. But don’t let that put you off!)
- Borage
- Nepeta
- Veronicastrum
- Teucrium
Bonus plants for shady spots? Try hellebore, lamium and pulmonaria.
Looking for a shrub to plant near your apiary? Phillyrea ought to do it. Although it is difficult to get hold of because it is so hard to propagate…but keep looking for it and buy it up if you can!
Somebody asked me about tulips – are these good for bees?
The bees certainly work hard to get the pollen. I guess the common sense approach is to make sure the tulips are as open and easy to access as possible.
The BBKA offer this top ten list of plants for bees.
My favourite nursery for bee friendly plants is Rosybee Nursery. You should all check out her plants and her brilliant research!
Her recommendations for bee friendly plants for summer baskets are:
- Trailing lobelia
- Lavender
- Echium
- Salvia
- Campanula
- Scabious
I would probably add Cleome and Fuchsia. But any other suggestions, please send them through!
Finally, are Dahlias good for bees? Again, I imagine single flowers are the best. But would love people to let me know what they see this summer….
Thank you and lets hope for a long, warm season for the bees!
And for more about my speciality, take a look at my Topiary.
Start of the Whitby Topiary Library
I have been offered a space here in the centre of Whitby, south-facing aspect, with some raised beds in, so that I can make a Topiary Library. In my head, a topiary library is a place to showcase the common (and then not so common) shapes you can make out of topiary. With classical topiary plants, as well as some more unusual pieces. This Topiary Library can act as a reference for people to learn more about pruning and clipping. The space is small but the aspect is great and the beds are deep enough to put some plants in. …
Delivery After Dark – From the Makers of The Amelia Project
Last week I spent most nights stood in cold water streams on the moors of North Yorkshire, helping to film a new project called Delivery After Dark from the makers of the Amelia Project. I worked on the Amelia Project back at the end of 2024, lending my terrible vocal talents to a small part in the episode Didius Julianus. But this project is something new – and exciting! – and thankfully only needed me to be filmed, rather than to actually say anything. But not only did I have to stand in cold moving water at midnight, I also …
Modern Topiary (The Book) – Message From Lady Clippers, And Others!
My topiary book – Modern Topiary – has recently been put out as a PDF, which can be read for free. (Have a look here to download and read/share it!) Then last week I received a lovely email from Ann Perkowski of Lady Clippers, who are topiary and pruning specialists in New York (Ann is a brilliant pruning teacher too, who teaches at New York Botanical Garden… check out her work and Lady Clippers website.) Hi Darren, I had to write you how much I love reading your Modern Topiary. I’m not sure I’ll ever be quite done with it because I’m …