Flowers

In a dry year like this one the bees really struggle to find nectar and pollen. An overlooked source for the bees around here is Bristly Hawkweed (Crepis setosa). This plant looks like dandelion's rough cousin! The yellow flower is very similar though usually smaller. The leaves are also not serrated as much and are hairy with small bristles. Most people pull out anything that looks like either dandelion or hawkweed but if you have the space and don't mind a weedy look, the bees really appreciate it. And they can use all the help they can get. The other flowers are from around the farm. Red and yellow California Blanket flower (Gaillardia) with tiny native bee on it, tubular pink flowers from a succulent, blue flowers of a wild chicory (which grows with no water at all) and another smaller sunflower. Everyone, everywhere should grow a corner of sunflowers. They are super easy, tough, and bees love them.