Borage and bees

The garden is a hive of activity as spring unfolds petal on petal of blossoms. Borage and other flowers offer bees a selection of nectar sources from which to choose.

We had to replace two orange coloured roses in the rosarium. The decision fell on two new roses, namely “Afrikaans” and “Lovers Meeting”. The rosarium is looking healthy and early roses are starting to appear randomly on the rosebushes.

The quince blossoms resemble pink water lilies against a sea blue sky. Blue and lilac are the dominant colours in the herb garden with borage and lavender attracting the bees.

Behind the cottage I can only stare up at where the granadillas are hanging out of reach waiting to drop. The Port-wine Magnolia’s heady scent fills the garden and wraps the cottage in its sweetness. Memories of my mother come flooding back.

The clivias are starting to flower and although not as prolific as my neighbour’s, it still makes for a pretty sight under the fiddlewood with its’ orange, yellow and red leaves.

Near the cellar, the pot of red freesias has started blooming warm against the green and white of a cellar window.

The empty beds in the vegetable garden will soon be filled with new seeds as the planting season starts, while the cabbage patch is ready to be harvested.

The garden is bursting into leaf with the excitement of a new season. If I was a bee, I would probably also hang on a blue borage flower that looks as though it has captured some of the blue African sky above us.