Early summer had me searching, researching and pondering the best plants for my EXTENSIVE (!!) London maisonette garden and window sills. The big discovery, after much deliberation about potentially being deemed lazy and environmentally unfriendly, was the incredibly realistic artificial foliage on the market.
Needless to say I didn't take too much persuasion - no watering, muddy windows, pruning, dead heading, petal clearance, repeat purchases after neglect.. You get the picture.
Yes, in May, my conscience barely stirred as I parted with less than it cost for 3 bottles of gin to adorn all window sills and half the garden with fake lavender, box and Argyranthemum (yellow daisies). No one ever asks, I never (until now) have to admit I am even less of a domestic goddess and even more of a windswept, haggard, clumsy and corner-cutting banshee than I let on. I feel I have to admit it now because there has been a considerable shudder of conscience since Monday morning.
Cleaning squashed blueberries and broccoli out of a miniature ambulance and gazing out the kitchen window, I spotted a bumble bee. A lovely, humble bumble bee, buzzing in the mid morning summer sun.
Ah.
Ah.
I painfully watched as the bee set about 'pollinating' my 'yellow daisies'. My fake daisies were disrupting the delicate balance of nature. I tried to knock hard on the window to deter the bumble bee from further failed attempts to assist with fertilisation but I could do nothing but watch for 9 whole minutes (summer working bees only live for about 40 days) as the bee worked hard on my small selection of yellow flowers. Poor bee. You know the bee population of most species has dramatically reduced in the last few years and 2 species are now extinct! Probably because of people like me.
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