December 12, 2011

Big Bumblebees in the 'Spring Snow'



I wasn't thinking about bumblees and little birds when I planned my garden. I was thinking about flowers, mostly. But the bees and birds started coming to visit and added so much fun to the backyard.



The giant bumblebees are my favorite, especially when they're having their way with the crabapple blossoms in the spring. It's entertaining to watch them manhandling the petals to get at the pollen.



These guys were definitely 'busy as bees', so they were even worse than my kids (!) at holding still while I made the shots. I took so many blurry photos last May to get these few that were in focus. Thank heaven for the delete button on the digital camera.



I was really tempted to try to pet their fuzzy backsides, but contented myself with taking pictures instead.



The seven 'Spring Snow' crabapples that attract all these bumbles are growing nicely. This photo shows how big the crown was on one tree last year - at least double what it was when we planted it 3 1/2 years before.



Have I ever mentioned that I can see parts of 63 other houses from different areas of my backyard? Yeah, I can't wait for these trees to fill in the perimeter so we can enjoy the garden without feeling like we have an audience.



My kids sing a song about popcorn popping on the apricot tree. It could certainly be changed to popcorn on the crabapple tree, eh? Only five more months until the flowers show up again.

14 comments:

  1. Your trees and gardens really look lovely. I love the Crabapple trees and yours shown looks great in that setting.
    Cher Sunray Gardens

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  2. Hi VW,

    Beautiful photos; I just love Bees and other insects! For me they make my garden and I'd be lost without them all :D

    63 other houses?! For sure???!! Wow, that's a lot. And I get grumpy about the few houses that can see me haha. Our previous house was very overlooked, although that was a mere 20 houses... This time round in most parts of the garden only the neighbours on either side can see me, in some parts (now the people behind me chopped their huge Cherry) a further three houses could potentially see me; so a maximum of 5... I'd be seriously put off by 63 houses!

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  3. Bees are such a wonderful addition to the garden. Love your crab apple! I can hardly wait for them to start blooming again, either. 63 houses! I bet that's a good way to entertain the kids - make them count all 63 houses!

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  4. Not all the 63 houses can see into our yard, thank goodness. But it's still kind of crazy. I couldn't believe it when I walked around our fence to count them all up. Our backyard is pretty big for the neighborhood, but the homes are close to the street and close to each other at the sides.

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  5. Five more months does seem like forever, doesn't it? I will try to be content with planning what I will do in my gardens next spring and summer.

    I know what you mean about looking forward to trees growing to give you privacy. I sometimes feel as though we're in "a fishbowl" too and just love our trees.

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  6. Five months? God help us. LOL I know, I know, winter will go fast. It always does. But right now it seems like forever. I love the bumbles too and had no idea how much joy they'd bring me at the beginning of my gardening career. I never cease to be amazed at their busy antics. I hope your trees fill in quickly. I know what you mean about wishing for privacy.

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  7. It won't be long and those big old bumbles will be back in full force. That crabapple will be even bigger before you know it too!

    Happy Holidays to you yours!

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  8. 63!!? Wow, that's crazy. It kind of changes how you think about it when you actually count em up doesn't it? Reminds me of the time a friend started counting all of my containers. I think she got tired at right about 60...thank goodness the actual number remains a mystery.

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  9. I do not want to even think about how long it is till spring. LOL! The trees are just beautiful. What a show they were putting on in your pictures. Thank heavens for those bumblebees because they are mostly what a re pollinating my plants here these days. The honeybees are scarce around here. Wonderful pictures.

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  10. Ale już marzymy za piękną wiosną i liczymy miesiące do kwitnienia drzew. :-). Pozdrawiam

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  11. Sending hopes that those trees are growing like mad beneath the soil all these long months so that they really shoot up this year!

    Beautiful photos! I am looking forward to breaking some out from June that I did not get to post yet. Julie

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  12. I know having the trees fill in will make your garden feel more like a private space. Love the white blooms on your crabapple..very pretty.

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  14. it is so wonderful when our gardens are appreciated by our non human friends. I love bumblebees too but I'm glad you managed to resist cuddling it. I guess by now you must be hiding some of the 63? Happy New Year to you, VW.

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