A Perfectly Manicure Lawn Isn't Good For Bees.

The penny finally dropped.

Friday afternoon saw the two of us working in our back garden. A garden that we've slightly neglected over the last few months. Time and laziness issues. But, our back garden is more of an orchard with at least 20 fruit trees in it and mowing it isn't that easy either as it is more of a hilly obstacle course.

Bob had had enough yesterday and started on the grass ( which stood about 60 cm high ). Grass might be a misnomer, as it was more a carpet of wildflowers of varying colours, uses and sizes.

As we walked about, we both noticed the same thing...almost all of our fruit trees were laden with fruit. Laden might be an understatement, as the branches were bowing under the weight. We've been here for five years, and our place stood empty for a few years prior and thus it's safe to assume that our orchard is organic. The prolific manifestation of fruit isn't due to some lab result but to the bees.

We tend to assume ( and stand to be corrected ) that our lack of mowing has a positive effect on the bee population in our neighbourhood. We are just about the last lawn left, that isn't always pretty as a picture.

What's irritating to the neighbours, is manna from heaven for the bees!

Both of us were glad to have done a good deed or rather provided a good smorgasbord for the buzzies but now were faced with a bigger problem...

" Honey, just look at all those plums! A bumper crop for my Schnapps. "

Well, I let him dream for a bit, as I was already thinking and planning all the various plum jam combinations we could make. Plum & lavender, plum & chocolate, plum & chilli or plain old plum jam.

A possible compromise might be reached....half for Schnapps purposes and half for jam. The other fruit variety to be had is of course a selection of apples. Each apple tree is a different type and I foresee a winter filled with divine pancakes topped with homemade apple sauce.

Biggi