Kitchen Garden Forum

Hello, I have a small paved back garden so I plant my fruit and veg in containers with varying degrees of success. I told myself I would only plant edibles and so far been good. This year I planted bread seed poppies for the first time. To cut a long story short (have bumblebees residing in the shed along with a pair of swallows currently with chick/s) checking the garden heard excessive buzzing and carefully looked inside one of the poppy's, a bumblebee was circling around under the stamen, buzzing as if on a high, 2 more bumblebees joined it, I think they were having a party, such a joy to see. Sorry I didn't get any pictures.
Jan

A very warm welcome to the forum, Jan…..
What a lovely story, so thank you for sharing it with us….nature is a wonderful thing…..

Welcome to the forum Jan!

I just love the way bees are so attracted to poppies as I love them too, & so a win/win for supporting wildlife & making the growing area pretty. Jealous a bit with you having swallows, what a treat!

The other thing they love & easy to get a pic off as usually several per plant is Globe Artichokes. I only grow them for the pretty large purple flowers they get, but they are quite an attractive plant with huge silver leaves & they come back every year. Unsure how they would do in pots but when mine get too congested it is not hard to thin them, so I think they could be fine. The wise ones on here will advice on their suitability in pots! Look forward to pics when time allows! x

One of the lads on the site has devoted half his plot to growing wild flowers so in consequnce every other plot on the site is growing self sown poppies and borage.Great for the pollinators!

Really envy you the swallows. We seem to have fewer in our village every year. Modern buildings sadly don't provide suitable nesting sites.
Amazing what edibles can be grown in containers in a small garden with a little ingenuity. I find it always helps to compost some kitchen waste down in them over winter once all the crops have been picked. . Really rejuvenates the growing medium and as long as none of the plants are diseased saves having to renew the Compost every year. It soon rots down quickly and always in time for the next years planting season. We currently have tumbling tomatoes, a cucumber plant and salad crops growing in this way .

I found a nest behind the blackberry yesterday that goes around the shed, very excited to see the little yellow mouth open when I disturbed it. Unfortunately I don't think it's chances are good as Mum has put the nest right next to the shed & only very loose leaf cover above it & it has basically rained most of the day. Mum was diligently sitting on it today but the rain hasn't let up much but fingers crossed. I think Mum is a sparrow but hard to tell as brilliantly camouflaged!

Agh, Can you peg a large rhubarb leaf over it somehow or something similar to camaflage it and act as an umbrella?

not for submission anymore

not for submission anymore

Hi Primrose,

I pushed back the foliage a bit & tied it taut further along from the nest, but did not want to disturb it too much in case Mum left it. I found it today in the last throngs of life & it had died a little bit later when I checked. No sign of Mum. The shed is right at the back of the plot a couple of foot from the hedge row & I find loads of nests in among that when I get leaf fall, but on my list for next year is to put up bird boxes on my shed & with the permission of the neighbours on the side of there as it's only inches from my fence & both give a clear flight path with some light cover.

Tha’s such a shame, Westi….

Yes very sad but nature is cruel isn't it. It,s often not very kind to humans either! . Am sure bird boxes will be very welcomed. Birds, especially young inexperienced ones choose some very unsuitable places sometimes, and need a helping hand, especially as nesting time is usually still a cold or wet time of the year.