Bee Platform

For many years, I've wanted to keep honeybees. We're finally getting round to it, partly because we discovered that a colleague of Liz's keeps them, and is set up to provide equipment and colonies. They need, obviously, somewhere to go, and we decided that one of the clearings on the hillside was ideal. However, the ground slopes rather dramatically, so we needed to create a stable and flat platform for the hives to go on, as well as stand on when working on them.

Bee Platform (© Ian 2016)

I don't like to do things by halves! The platform's about 8' by 5', which is big enough for two hives (with space for one or two more later); because of the slope, the right hand edge is only slightly above ground level—but the balustraded edge is about 4' tall. I think this justifies a construction. It's made of 100mm posts in drive-in stake/supports, with 6x2" joists and subjoists, with 6x1.5" decking, and although we need to make a set of steps, it's basically good to go. The hives will go on the back (right) edge, with the entrances facing uphill (away from the prevailing weather) towards the heather.

Cat basket/trug (© Ian 2016)

While we've been busy, Chess found a comfortable spot to sleep.

Wood

I managed a mid-week mow of the lawn, which always makes things run better, as it doesn't have to fit in at the weekend. That was nice, because I then had yesterday to spend with my sister, playing badminton, and going to a local dog shelter's show.

Today, we met Liz's' parents for lunch in Halifax (while their fosterling was at a contact session with her brother) and then after that at home. After they'd gone, it was wood stacking time! We're making decent progress on getting the driveway cleared, and the wood shelter refilled.

RHS Harlow Carr Flower Show

This weekend was the RHS Harlow Carr flower show, which we've never been to before, but made it to. The parking is off site, with a shuttle bus, which meant we had to carry everything back on a bus...

...which was inevitably a lot/more than intended, given the number of good displays and stands.

For the colour wheel purple bed (© Ian 2016)

The rest of the plants! (© Ian 2016)

The geraniums, Purple Ghost, have nice foliage, and should flower soon. The Mathiasella bupleuroides have—as you'd guess—very similar flowers to the Bupleureum rotundifolium we've grown in the colour wheel. However, unlike the annual, this perennial will stick around, which makes life easier.

The cardoons (Cynara cardunculus) are for the herb garden. Instead of making more trellis pyramids, we're going to alternate them with the cardoons. They're perennial, and reasonably evergreen, so they should form a softer, but still architectural, and living repeating element. They're not huge, but the grower seems to have similar conditions to us, and thought they'd get on well.

Ideal Home

Yesterday I went to the Ideal Homes Show at the Trafford Centre, with my parents. I've never been to either show or centre, so it was interesting from that perspective, and the show was fun.

There were a lot of good exhibits—from one or more of a culinary, practical, or aesthetic standpoint. For instance, reasonable fakes of timber framed windows in uPVC.

Sash window (© Ian 2016)

Candle holders fashioned from the oak stave of a barrel (© Ian 2016)

A rather high-class summer house (© Ian 2016)

Modern take on Victorian tiles (© Ian 2016)

An array of quilted upholstery (© Ian 2016)

A TV unit that could fit in to a more traditionally furnished room (© Ian 2016)

Wood fired pizza oven! (© Ian 2016)

Inside a summer house... (© Ian 2016)

...with a quirky exterior (© Ian 2016)

Today, Liz and I actually went back to the Trafford Centre for shopping purposes. And an ice cream.