“The flowers of late winter and early spring occupy places in our hearts well out of proportion to their size”
Gertrude Wister, horticulturist (1905-99)
As I write there is frost on the ground and in my garden the flowers are rather elusive!
I am compiling a Monthly Gardening Jobs. This being the first year the guides will appear each month, thereafter all months will be available for viewing year-round. The information comes from experts and members and is intended as guidance only as our personal preferences andsometimes inclement weather need to be taken into account.
Late November was National Tree Week organised by the Tree Register Charity run entirely by volunteers who dedicate their time to measure and record trees in Britian and Ireland. These figures are invaluable in understanding how species fare in different regions and in the changing climate. The proverb “the best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago; the second best is now”
Bee’s Trees and shrubs
The UK has approximately 250 solitary bee species and 24 bumble bees but sadly these are threatened by habitat loss, climate change and pesticide use. The contribution of flowers, garden and meadow, should not be under estimated but a tree and shrub can provide more nectar and pollen per square foot and will provide forage in hungry gap months. Pollination by wind is lower than insect pollination; to counter this wind pollinators produce vast amounts of pollen providing lots of nectar and pollen.
Bee species have different needs so a variety is of plants is important. The evergreen strawberry tree flowers September to November helping bumble bees to gather nectar before hibernating; mining bees specialise on grey willow; wild cherry blooms early helping bees emerging from dormancy; all bees like the silver lime flowers in May, the nectar is biologically active against the bee parasite. Some species, like chocolate mining bees, time their emergence from hibernation with March flowering willows – goat willow is one. Buying a willow for bees try to purchase a ‘male’ form as they provide both nectar and pollen such as Kilmarnock and are prettier.
Red mason bees who live in bee hotels are more effective at pollinating apple trees than honey bees. The different rootstock of apple trees offers a choice of size from pot grown to the full 8 metres!
Hazels
Another good pollinator for bees are the Hazels (Corylus avellana), a woodland tree/multi-stemmed shrub native to the British Isles preferring lighter free draining soils with a little shade not necessarily a full wood. Highly regenerative once established they can be coppiced down to the stump and have provided a renewal supply of multifunctional timber since the Neolithic. Historically thicker branches were processed into charcoal; split poles became lattice for wattling and fences and twigs bundled into ‘faggots’ to line river banks. Straight stems make pea sticks in 2/3 years and bean poles 5/7; smaller branches support floppy perennials; brushwood provides a framework for annuals like sugar snap and sweet peas.
The pale-yellow pollen-packed male catkins provide a source of forage even though hazels are wind pollinated. Hazels supply ‘true’ nuts also known as cobnuts or filberts. These sweet and buttery nuts are eaten raw, roasted or ground into a paste. Some cultivars offer ornamental attributes too such as twisted corkscrew-like stems or plum coloured foliage. For the smaller garden a dwarf cultivar such as autumn bronze red dwarf is available. Planting and coppicing take place in autumn so plenty of time to plan.