World Bee Day 2022 – Bee update

The Whatley beehives have been buzzing, now in their third year on site and under the careful care of local beekeepers from White Horse Honey, we employ eco friendly methods for bee management and hive maintenance.

Our garden team have been working alongside the beekeepers to provide the best possible environment to encourage all pollinators and protect this every increasingly endangered species.

Whatley Head Gardener, David Pearce suggests the following:

“It is important to use plants that are suitable to our native pollinators. A lot of exotic, tropical plants have evolved to be pollinated by hummingbirds and moths; these should be avoided when considering our native insects.

Try to use plants with open flower structures (avoiding any ‘double’ cultivated varieties), like the members of the umbel family; Apiaceae, or the borage family; Boraginaceae. We also have some very garden-worthy natives from this family, including Achillea ptarmica ‘The Pearl’, and Angelica archangelica. Using Native plants where possible is preferable, but not always necessary. Plenty of foreign species can be excellent for pollinators, and provide an extended season of pollen available e.g. Erysmium ‘Bowle’s Mauve’.

We limit the use of artificial pesticides; a lot of these can have seriously detrimental effects on bee populations, we recommend the use of biological, soil association accredited pesticides where possible, and if you do need to use artificial pesticides, avoid spraying any flowers.”

Such care has ensured we have had plenty of delicious honey; Whatley’s honey is full of wonderful complex flavours, as it is not blended or subjected to high temperatures all the delicate aromas of our flowers are preserved.

The honey makes a delicious base for our seasonal cocktails created by the bar team; why not try a Honey Ginger Sour, or Bee Kiss when you next visit Whatley.

Make it at home:

WHATLEY’S BUMBLE BEE