Flower Friday - But it is really about the Bee

It is not about the flower today - although there is one in the picture. I am blipping this because I am hoping that some clever person like Paladian can tell me what this bee is.

It wasnt until I uploaded the pics that I realised this is not the usual bee we see buzzing around the  flowers. It has yellow stripes but is not a wasp. It does normal bee things like collecting pollen and is a bee shape and size.

I was trying to photograph flowers in the small public rose garden not far from my home. With us sharing in the violent winds sweeping the country today, it was a lost cause.

I have put a shot of the gardens in as an extra - it is usually an oasis  full of colourful perennials as well as roses but today the flowers were receiving a real hammering from the wind. Such a shame.