Bee forage. Jul 31.

Melissa in bloom.  Lemon Balm.

Melissa just started blooming.  Not many bees on it yet.  Mostly bumblebees.  Bumblebees seem to be less picky.

Same for this small patch of peppermint.  Its away from the hive so they may not have found it.

Spearmint is not yet blooming.

Honeybees continue to concentrate heavily on Caryopteris and oregano.  They also frequent Lavender flowers.

And actively forage dandelions, in heavy bloom, and thistle, at its peak. 

Bumblebees occasionally feed on the buddleia hybrids.  Not heavily. I had better hopes for them.

They seem unaware of wild carrot, blooming heavily.

Mentha in bloom.  Peppermint.

Fresh fruit today.

Fresh fruit today

Plum "Shiro", Lattarula figs, wild blackberries

Lattarula and Petite negri / Aubique petite figs

Tomato "Black Prince"

Good time for fresh fruits.  Shiro is so juicy it takes a towel to eat it.  First large tomato of the year, Black Prince.  I had a few Sungold and a couple Super Sweet 1000 yesterday.  So good....  Now I know why I do this.

Honeybees on oregano

Honeybees foraging oregano

Interesting to look at the pollen-filled "saddlebags".  Those represent a lot of pollen collecting by the hard working honeybee.

Lots of honeybees on the oregano flowers.

Viewing the enthusiasm honeybees show for oregano, I should plant a lot more of it next year in the bee garden.  It's a bit too big for the iris / culinary herb beds.

Iris Bed #3. Moving established clumps.

Iris Clumps about to be planted.

Iris "American Classic" in new location.

 These are bearded Irises, moved from Vancouver to Battleground.  They needed more room. I'm phasing out some of the plantings at Vancouver, for lower maintenance there.  At the Battleground place they will have a lot more sunshine, and more room.  These clumps were 2 to 3 years old.

I moved "American Classic", "Kissed by the Sun", and the heritage variety, "Accent".

Of these, the "American Classic" and "Accent"  are very vigorous.  :Kissed by the Sun" is not.  That one might or might not have a blooming rhizome next year.  The others look like they will have 4 to 7 blooming rhizomes.

I dug these up.  Tried to get all of the roots with minimal disturbance.  Placed into plastic bags, transported, and planted them with as minimal disturbance as I could.  Trimmed off leaves with leaf spot infections, and watered them in.

Hot day, mid 80s.  Since they had minimal disturbance, I think they will be impressive next year.

Irises re-planted.  "Accent", "American Classic", & "Kissed by the Sun".

This bed is gradually becoming Iris Bed #3.  It will be mostly modern varieties.  There are a few heritage varieties in
this bed as well.

Iris Tags.  Purchased May 2012

Fruit from the garden

Lattarula figs, Shiro plums, Blackberries

Mulberries

NoID Plum

Fresh fruit from the garden.  Lattarula figs, Shiro plums, wild Himalayan Blackberries.

Mulberry has a few remaining berries.

Unknown plum variety at the Battleground place.  Still very firm.  Next year maybe there will be more bees and more flowers on nearby pollinating varieties.

Crimson Pointe plums

 I've been waiting for the 4 plums on the "Crimson Pointe" ornamental plum to ripen.  Last week they were rock hard.  Today there were none on the tree.  I found 2 on the ground, rinsed them off, and ate them.  They were absolutely delicious - tasted like red wine.  Mildly sweet, mildly sour.  Perfect balance.  I just planted this tree last year.  It's not listed as an edible plum.  That's possibly because they fall off when ripe.  But those plums were so good.