Bees' snack bar

Food for free! Not only for the bees but also for me!
This afternoon while I was weeding I decided to leave most of these small attractive plants in the garden. Like the white dead nettle the leaves don’t sting and the flowers are a very valuable source of nectar for bees at a time when few other nectar sources are available. The red dead nettle ((Lamium purpureum) is also a prominent source of pollen for bees in early spring when bees need the pollen as protein to build up their nest. It is common throughout Britain on wasteland and verges and welcomed for pollinators by farmers. The flowers bloom for much of the year but are particularly attractive at the moment and when the flowers die I will be able to pull the plants out easily in the knowledge that more will grow next spring. Meanwhile I can enjoy adding some of the nutritious purple top leaves to salads or saute them knowing that they are rich in iron and vitamins.