Bee Friendly Manitoba!

 How sweet it was to reconnect with old friends in Winnipeg at the McNally Robinson book launch of Victory Gardens for Bees!

In  the spirit  of true Manitoban hospitality, the bookstore was warm and welcoming.

Hopefully we can make friendly Manitoba known as bee friendly Manitoba!

And I'm so excited about this bee pasture I discovered 1 block South of Broadway and Sherbrooke!

 This trifecta of catnip, clary sage and flax is stunning!

I think there are three species of bumblebees foraging here and since it's early in the season, most of them are big velvety queens.

Can you spot the leafcutter bee?

Bottoms up, sister!

 Mining bee on raspberry.

Look at how the stamens touch the sweet spot on the bee's back so that some pollen gets on the female part of the next plant she visits.

I am in love! Citizens of Wolsely, please plant some catnip (Nepeta sp.) and flowers in the Aster family quick! Get thee to Sage Garden Greenhouses to pick up some plants to support your lovely neighborhood bees!

Victory Gardens for Bees in Winnipeg!

I'm so excited to be here in Winnipeg to do a book talk and signing Thursday night at 7 pm at McNally Robinson and a lecture about female artists who are inspired by bees at MAWA at noon on Friday, June 3. My friend took me to Assiniboine Park on Monday and patiently waited on a shady bench while I stalked the bees of Winnipeg.

The catnip in the English garden was a winner, attracting at least five species of bees.

I also checked out the sculpture park, where someone had done a sweet intervention and added flowers to the bronze works.

 But the bees were more interesting.

A.Y. Jackson agrees: "Plant more catnip for bees." I'm happy to recommend SAGE Garden Greenhouses for all your bee gardening needs. Neonic free! Yay!!!!!!!!

There are a lot of statues of clothed men and naked women in this garden. I call this "Tulips, four cheeks."

It's raining today, so I am holed up in my cozy aerie doing press interviews, but hopefully the weather will be perfect for more bee watching tomorrow before the launch.

Please Join Me at the Okanagan Book Launch of Victory Gardens for Bees

Women Who Run With the Bees: Artists Inspired by Bees and Artist-Led Conservation Projects: A Talk and Book Launch by Lori Weidenhammer

You are invited to attend Lori Weidenhammer’s launch of her new book”  “Victory Gardens for Bees.”  On Thursday, May 26, Lori Weidenhammer will be giving her talk “Women Who Run with the Bees:  Artists Inspired by Bees and Artist-Led Conservation Projects” and we’ll be hosting the Kelowna launch of her wonderful new book.

Lori Weidenhammer is a Vancouver-based interdisciplinary artist and gardener.  She has just published a book, Victory Gardens for Bees: A DIY Guide to Saving the Bees (Douglas & McIntyre) http://www.douglas-mcintyre.com/book/victory-gardens-for-bees.  Victory Gardens for Bees is buzzing with DIY projects that will help readers provide homes and food for precious pollinators. With plenty of photographs to help readers identify bees of all stripes, beekeeping tips and other interesting bee-phemera, this book is a must-have for anyone who wants to do their part to save bees.  It is gorgeously illustrated in colour and it provides all kinds of plans for bee-focussed gardens.

Originally from Cactus Lake SK, Lori has had a long love affair with bees.  Her father kept bees when she was a child, and years later, she found herself pulled into the culture and science of bees and caring for beehives in her backyard. For the past seven years she has been exploring the persona Madame Beespeaker at venues across the country, sharing the tradition of “telling the bees.” She also regularly appears as the Queen Bee at schools and community events. As an artist and educator Weidenhammer works with students of all ages on identifying native plants, eating locally, gardening for pollinators and guerrilla gardening.

This is the ninth and final talk of “The Pollinizing Sessions: A Series of Talks and Workshops to Learn About Pollinators in Our Community,” a project of the Okanagan Regional Library and a UBC Okanagan research project, The Public Art Pollinator Pastures Project. The talk will be held at the downtown Kelowna branch of the Okanagan Regional Library, 1380 Ellis St. Kelowna from 7 pm – 8:30 pm. Admission is free but people are encouraged to pre-register at  https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/lori-weidenhammer-author-and-artist-women-who-run-with-the-bees-artists-inspired-by-bees-and-artist-tickets-20131030454


            

I Would Love to See You Tonight at the Official Launch of Victory Gardens for Bees

Please join me tonight at the Spirit of Life Lutheran Church at 10th and Yukon for the official lauch of Victory Gardens for Bees. I will do a brief talk shortly after 7 pm, then people can buy books and have them signed. Busy folks can leave and go do more gardening for bees. The rest can stay and we'll have questions and a bit of shared storytelling.

Join Me Tomorrow at Figaro's Garden: The Best Little Garden Shop in Vancouver!

This will be a great chance for you to ask me all your specific bee gardening questions and find out about the best plants to grow for bees in the Lower Mainland. And to buy some of those plants!