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When the garden hums

Stand still in the garden for a moment and you will hear it. The hum. It builds through June as the bees move from flower to flower, as the butterflies open and close their wings on the lavender, as the hoverflies hang in the warm air above the borders.

This is the garden at its busiest. The roses are out in full bloom now, heavy with scent, and the pollinators know it. They work the petals methodically, dusted with pollen, oblivious to everything except the next flower. A bumblebee on a David Austin rose will visit a dozen blooms before pausing. The smaller solitary bees dart between the climbing roses on the fence, quick and precise.

You might see a painted lady on the buddleia, wings like stained glass when the light catches them. Or a red admiral, dark and sudden against the pink of the dog roses. They rest for seconds, then move on.

The hum is loudest in the middle of the day when the sun is high and the air is thick with warmth. It is the sound of a garden doing what it was meant to do. Listen closely.

What are the bees visiting in your garden this week?

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The garden in Richmond at midsummer

The garden in Richmond at midsummer

The garden in Richmond reaches its peak in July, when the air thickens with heat and the borders crowd with colour. Lavender spikes stand tall along paths, their purple blooms humming with bees. Roses sag under their own weight. The lawn, if you have kept it watered, glows a defiant green. This is the moment […]

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The lavender is out in Richmond gardens and the bees are everywhere

The lavender is out in Richmond gardens and the bees are everywhere

The lavender is out in Richmond gardens and the bees are everywhere. You can hear them before you see them: a steady hum rising from the purple spikes. They work the flowers in a kind of methodical frenzy, dusted yellow with pollen. The scent thickens in the heat. It hangs in the air around benches […]

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The shady corner in Richmond gardens where lavender meets old walls

The shady corner in Richmond gardens where lavender meets old walls

The shady corner in Richmond gardens becomes a refuge when the sun is at its worst. You find it behind the south-facing wall, where lavender spills over brick and the air smells sharp and sweet. Bees work the purple stems with a low hum. You sit on a bench that has been there longer than […]

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What survives a heatwave in Richmond gardens and what doesn't

What survives a heatwave in Richmond gardens and what doesn’t

What survives a heatwave in Richmond gardens and what doesn’t becomes obvious by mid-afternoon. Lavender stands firm, its grey leaves designed for drought, while the bees work overtime in the purple spikes. Sedums, salvias, and anything with a Mediterranean backbone keep their composure. Roses droop but recover. Hardy geraniums fade to papery wisps. Hostas give […]

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The first tomatoes in Richmond gardens

The first tomatoes in Richmond gardens

The first tomatoes in Richmond gardens are ripening now. You notice them one morning, a flush of orange breaking through the green. The smell hits you when you pinch out the side shoots: sharp, green, faintly chemical. It clings to your fingers for hours. This is the moment gardeners wait for. The fruit has been […]

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The Bench

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