Against the background of a clear blue sky, branches of our Winter-Flowering Honeysuckle tree are sporting plenty of small white flowers…but also beginning to show leaves too, which follow the blossoming & will eventually provide plenty of cover for birds. The flowers are tiny, but so valuable to birds & solitary OverWintering bees. We hear them humming! At this time of year solitary Queen bumblebees seek pollen to fill the niches where they lay an egg before sealing it in with mud. If you happen to have the kind of Bee House which shows the sides of its solo chambers, you can witness this marvel taking place. The pollen gathered this time of year is vital to ensure each Bee’s egg will have plenty of food to get thru the many months it takes them to grow into adulthood. But these tiny Honeysuckle flowers also attract wee insects on which many of the smaller garden birds feed. Also in this photo-taken by tam’s partner-sprigs of a wild Cotoneaster plant are on the lefthand side, their ovate leaves distinctive. The Cotoneaster has proven a valuable frame upon which a climbing white rose shrub-out of sight in this photo-will gradually grow & flourish. That rose too will hopefully have plenty of nectar rich roses come Summertime. For now, we’re glad to see these tiny Honeysuckle blooms, as they play such an important role in our little garden’s ecosystem. Please Garden For Wildlife, however you can. Even a pot of flowering plants-watered & dead-headed to keep it flowering-can help bees, butterflies & other creatures. If you do put up a bee hotel, try to place it out of direct sunlight. The same goes for bird-boxes, which should be placed as high up as possible-at the very least between 5-6ft up, to protect nesting birds from predators. Really the best advice for bird care can be found on the RSPB’s website, which also sells bird boxes appropriate for different birds, as they have different needs. As habitats disappear, all Wildlife need any help you can give them.🙏~💞
Branches of Winter-Flowering #Honeysuckle #blooms against a blue sky. These white #flowers may be tiny, but carry much needed #pollen this time of year. 🐝 &🐦both benefit enormously from these at this time of year. #blossoms #bloomscrolling #garden #photography by tam’s partner. #Garden4Wildlife 🙏