One of the hazards of being a One-Woman website is that if I get caught up in a family emergency, not much happens on the website until I get the family emergency under control. But one of the joys of being a One-Woman website is that I have some of the greatest and most patient and understanding bee-watcher readers around.
Anita Porterfield and her husband, John, first contacted me about their bee garden waaaaay back on July 6. Two and a half months later, I am proud to feature their garden as the 18th Official Certified Texas Bee-Friendly Garden.
Anita and John live on six acres of land just northeast of Boerne. According to Anita, they grow several hundred species of organic vegetables, herbs, and flowers. I can only imagine how the bees must love all those blossoms. In 15 years of owning their property, Anita and John have never used any chemicals either.
Anita passed on a list of some of the plants favored by the bees on their Shaggy Acres Farm (named after the Barbados Blackbelly sheep and Old English Sheepdogs also raised by the Porterfields).
Carolina Jessamine
Crape myrtle
Esperanza
Honeysuckle
Hibiscus, both hardy and non-hardy
Trumpet vine
Grapevines
Mexican hydrangea
Pomegranate bushes/trees
Pyracantha
Morning glory
Because the Porterfields also grow organic vegetables, herbs, and flowers, Anita notes that the bees also favor “almost all annual vegetables and flowers, and herbs, especially sage, thyme, oregano, basil (especially Thai basil), mint, and celery. We currently have fennel in our garden which is new for us. The bees absolutely love it.”
I certainly agree with her about the herbs. It is quite fun to let them flower and then watch the large numbers of bees which find and enjoy the blossoms.
Like several other Bee Watchers’ Gardens, Shaggy Acres Farm is also certified as a Backyard Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. I also want to thank Anita for sending in the beautiful photos of bees and flowers from Shaggy Acres.
After a long wait by very patient Bee Watchers, I am proud to announce that Shaggy Acres Farm and Anita and John Porterfield are the owners of the 18th Official Certified Texas Bee-Friendly Garden. Welcome to Bee Watching!
Beautiful photos. Eat your heart out, Rollin.
Posted by: Jutta Frankie | 09/15/2011 at 01:33 PM