When walking round the garden today I was watching the bees going about the garden, they were darting in and out of the fuchsia, I also have some trailing begonias close by, though not fully open but made me wonder if anyone could tell me, do bees get pollen from flowers that don't set seeds?

It wasn't in a pond but I think they are classed as pondlife.

3 times this week I've opened the door of a brick outbuilding and come across a toad. The first time I saw it I thought it must have followed me in so I took it outside and put it in some long grass. But the next 2 times it was definitely inside when I opened the door and I wondered how it got there and why as it is not damp and there is nothing for it to eat.
I suppose it is possible that 3 toads followed me the once but, if so they were all the same size.
I do occasionally get mice in there but I have assumed they climbed up the walls as we often get them in the attic.
How big a hole would they be able to get through I wonder and can they climb?

Are these red spider mites on this potted rose in my greenhouse?  Lots of dust-sized specs scurrying about through their webs.

I've taken the pot outside into the fresh air and given it a soaking.

Any suggestions, other than to nuke the greenhouse from orbit?

Thanks!

   

The grass has been littered today by birds, sprawled out in the sun. I've seen Blackbirds, a thrush and a chaffinch. At first glance they look injured but, having seen the chooks doing the same thing, I wasn't worried - only to keep the dogs away.
Their favourite spots are flattened molehills where its just dirt, no grass.
I've put a tray of water with pebbles in, near their dust baths, so they can freshen up afterwards. 
https://garden-birds.co.uk/information/bathing.html

Its a year since G&G was born and I'm finding it interesting to look back at what I was doing/sowing/picking last June. Definitely late this year in all sorts of ways.
This gave me another Nutty idea and a lot of you will mock - but I don't care.

Keeping a daily record/diary of what I've done isn't a success. I start in January with good intentions but by March I've lost interest - the thrill of starting a new diary wears off rapidly. Even my 5 year diary has nothing after February.  
Here's my plan - 12 diaries/journals/notebooks/whatever, one for each month. At the end of the month, they're put away and a new book starts on the 1st. So I'll start one on July 1st.
Next year, July 2022, I retrieve the 2021 book and write in it for a month and put it away again at the end of July. 12 books being permanently revisited.

I'm going to use A5, spiral bound notebooks as I have a couple now and they're only £1 or so. 

PS Please don't suggest using spreadsheets as I hate them with a vengeance.

I picked up this unusual looking table from the local buy & sell group. To be honest if it hadn’t of been a friend selling it, I would of walked away from it. The before photos really don’t show the poor connection it was in.

               

A week and a half later . It looks like this.

               

I’m very pleased with it.

When taking the dog for a walk this morning I was walking past an area where there are a lot of hawthorn, gorse, clover and various other wild flowers and with the sun was shining and the wind dropped the air was perfued by all the fragrances that were given off by the different plants, though nothing individually giving of a strong smell that you could identify the mix from them all, drawn out by the heat of the sun was really nice to smell, has anyone experienced similar

I’m having a go at growing a mango from seed. I’ve been watching more YouTube videos.

Remove most of the flesh from your seed.

   

You find a easy access point along the fat side. With a blunt knife or spoon prize it open not damaging the seed inside or yourself   .

   

Peel the skin off the seed. Then it’s the old cocktail stick trick over a jar of water. With just the growing tip in the water.

   

I’ll keep you up dated on success’s or failures. 

I really must try this with a fruit I actually like eating one day   .

These pictures have been posted on my local 'nextdoor' site for identification,  any ideas?

             

One thought is Jerusalem artichokes  another is himalayam balsam

Yesterday I saw a large flying  thing.  No camera no picture. 

It was about two and a half inches top to tail, had double wings like a dragonfly again 2 1/2 " span and body the colour of a wasp's and slightly stripy but it didn't appear to have a waist like wasps do.
It flew around hunting like a dragonfly does but wasn't aggressive at all.  My measurements may be slightly exaggerated in hindsight.