The Bee-Kind Garden

The lives of bees are interwoven with our own, but how much do you know about them? Which scents do bees prefer? How do bees transport pollen? How far can bees fly? Do specific colours attract bees? Do bees prefer native flowers? Bees are a delight to see in the garden on warm summer days, buzzing as they flit from flower to flower. They are also vital for the future of the planet and without their dedicated pollinating skills, many crops would eventually fail. Then there is honey - a near-miraculous elixir that in earlier generations was an integral part of life as a sweetener and food preserver. It can be fermented with water and yeast to create mead, a drink that has been enjoyed for thousands of years. The Bee-Kind Garden reveals the many facets of the lives of bees, including their hives, flight patterns and defence. It is filled with helpful information on important topics such as which flowers are best for attracting bees to your garden, beekeeping equipment and guidance for extracting honey as well as the art of talking to bees. It also celebrates the charming proverbs, limericks and verse bees have inspired. This delightfully illustrated book is a homage to bees and to ensuring that they continue to live in harmony with humans in bee-friendly gardens.

David Squire has a keen interest in bees, having kept them since his late school years. David studied gardening at the Hertfordshire College of Horticulture and at the RHS Garden Wisley, where he gained the Wisley Diploma in Horticulture. Throughout his career, David has written more than eighty books on plants, gardening and insects, as well as dogs and self-sufficiency, earning him the Garden Writers Association of America's 'Quill and Trowel' award.

Introduction Getting to know bees Attracting bees Where do bees live? Bee-keeping equipment Talking to bees Honey, mead and wax Proverbs, limericks and verse Index