This year planting a diverse range of flowers has never been so important for pollination. The choice of flowers in our gardens is just as important as our choice of vegetables. We noticed increased pollination yearly as more butterflies, dragonflies, bees and long beaked birds take to the garden. The presence of moths and mantis insects have increased also. The more pollinators that visit the front garden, the more vegetables have thrived around our edible block.
The Borage is blooming readily by now, the sweet peas start to climb up them and reach for the trellis in the middle. I’m calling this my “sweet pea circus” as it accidentally has been shaped like a tent. It will invite the bees to a new spot in my garden, hopefully they will pay attention to the two new raised beds sitting beside it. (...)
The underrated Elderberry shrub (Sambucus Nigra), with it’s white delicious plumes of Elderflowers, is a meaningful addition to any edible garden of note.
It’s berry’s may not be as delicious straight off the tree, it’s akin to a watery blackberry, but once the dark purple blackening berry is stewed into a concoction, it takes on a delicious richness that will satisfy and keep flu’s at bay for the winter months.