3rd August 2026

When the bees are sleeping…

This evening Neil and I have been gathering flowers ready for market tomorrow. Harvesting and conditioning take us about two hours but we enjoy it so some nights we take our time.

Harvest times are a chance to be up close with the flowers and see what is going on. Looking for the best blooms and any that have gone over.

We don’t chat whilst we harvest, we listen.

Some nights the Owls are the ones talking, two or three of them screeching as the light starts to fade.

Tonight Neil is picking the sunflowers by torch light, inspecting each one to see what stage it’s at.

I head into the polytunnel to check on the Dahlias, it’s so calm. During the day the Dahlias are buzzing with activity. Bumblebees all over them. It often feels like they are telling me off as I pick them, they buzz around my head and often follow the flowers as I carry them to the bucket.

This evening it’s different, I’ve come into the tunnel late and it’s almost dark outside, I need a torch to see the best blooms. But the bees are sleeping. Quite and tucked into the dahlia petals. Two snuggled up right next to each other in one of my favourite coloured Dahlias. I leave them in peace and move onto the next one which isn’t being used as a bed for the night.