That is brilliant. I always thought they liked dry weather and this summer has been alot more damp. I hope they keep going. Please post with their progress!
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The Rozanne are in full sun, in sandy, very well-drained soil. Nobody is more surprised than me to see how well they are doing with zero food in over three years and no extra water. It's essentially a "gravel garden" and they seem to love it. I thought I had lost a second plant there over the winter, but it has reshooted in the last few months.
I thought they would over-dominate such a small area and was planning to remove one of the two plants if it all got too much, but I find them pretty easy to reign in, they seem to enjoy scrambling through other plants and perhaps the lack of food limits their ambition. It's by far the top bee plant there. There is a clear hierarchy and the bees (in particular) don't seem to want to touch the others much (sedum, erigeron, verbena bon., salvia etc) as they get what they want from Rozanne. It's interesting to see the plant choice hierarchy at play.
if you've got osteospermums, try and take as many cuttings as you can now. Overwintered in small pots then potted on in the spring, you can fill a border with colour.
I'm kind of hoping (on behalf of my neighbour) that they might overwinter ok as the planter is narrow, well drained and in full sun. I'll let her know that it might be good to have back up cuttings.
That is great about the Roxanne geranium. I am inspired to try them next year. (Plug plants, not seed). It is surprising the bees are not as keen on the other plants you mentioned. I wonder if the Roxanne you have planted are not in abundance anywhere else in the neighbourhood and so even more attractive to the bees? Maybe bees really do see blue/purple colours more easily, but that does not explain the verbena bon....oh well, a myriad of factors no doubt....
Should I plant osteospermums next year, I will be using pots but even so they will probably not be in as much sun as yours.
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I am inspired to try them next year. (Plug plants, not seed).
Rozanne is sterile (it does not generate seed) which is part of the reason it is so successful. It won RHS plant of the century. The season is one of the longest and no dead-heading is needed. It regularly makes the "best plant for pollinators" list in the UK, partly because of the long season and late nectar it potentially offers. It has an open, single flower which is easy to land on and access. Yes, it comes within pollinators colour range of vision, but so are quite a of the other plants next to it - like the Salvia So Cool Pale Blue. I don't know if Rozanne reloads nectar faster than other plants close by. Borage is partly so attractive to pollinators because they have a 20 min ish reload time; one of the shortest.
Catmint, marjorma, tansy and borage come top of the list too.
I wonder if the Rozanne you have planted are not in abundance anywhere
else in the neighbourhood and so even more attractive to the bees?
The front gardens (such as they are) on the street offer little in the way of nectar or pollen at any time. There are no flowering trees. It's interesting that, yes, if Hugh's garden (right in front of the plot) offered something, the usage of the plot flowers might quite altered. Thanks for your reflections @clematisdorset
Thanks @Fire, you are a treasure trove of insights! Yes Rozanne not Roxanne. I meant. I did read up thread that it is sterile and promptly forgot! The season is one of the longest and no dead-heading is needed. It has all the attributes that my garden can lack especially away from midsummer. I had not thought of the nectar reload time, thanks for highlighting that. Great links too 🌻🌿
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Oh yes, it is. The various studies delving into the types of bees visiting each plant is very helpful. I know I have more bumblebees and hoverflies generally, but at certain times I see more honey bees (I think that is what they are) so I could tailor the recommended plants to certain times when they are more needed.
I am glad she mentioned previous 'received wisdom' on sterile plants: I had been led to believe info that too ('sterile plants not as helpful') whereas her studies indicate it can be the reverse, for all the reasons you mentioned.
The bee tongue-length graphic was also helpful!
Sorry to witness the demise of the forum. 😥😥😥😡😡😡I am Spartacus
I would say that, on the plot, there are as many erigeron and G. Rozanne now as there have been at any point in year. Salvias are happy. Californian poppies are fine, although all the rain has brought them low. Verbena bon carries on, remarkably fine with rain and wind. For the first time a lot of aquilegea seed has geminated (with all the rain) so we will get a good show this spring - with fgmns
Poppy - I do like the foliage. Good germination for these too, so hopefully there will be a great, early show next year
S. So Coool Pale Blue - it seems happy though just added this year.
The plot is edged with erigeron - really quite dense and high-mounded now. It's v low maintenance. It seems to die back here around Jan. I cut out the dead stems and it re-grows in the spring.
This will be our fourth winter and right now the bed is pretty densely covered - esp with all the fgmn and aquilegia which will stay green over winter. There is little space to put new seed - and any added would get little light. In a way, it's a good problem to have. That is direct function of all the rain this year. The density bodes well, in that at this time of year, with normal die back, people start walking over the plot (in spite of the stakes). It might not be a problem this year.
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Should I plant osteospermums next year, I will be using pots but even so they will probably not be in as much sun as yours.
I am glad she mentioned previous 'received wisdom' on sterile plants: I had been led to believe info that too ('sterile plants not as helpful') whereas her studies indicate it can be the reverse, for all the reasons you mentioned.
The bee tongue-length graphic was also helpful!