Posts Tagged: Missy Gable

Celebrating Roses, UC Davis-Style, Just in Time for Mother's Day

Back in May of 2013, we headed over to the California Center for Urban Horticulture (CCUH) Annual Rose Days on the University of California, Davis, campus.  A cultivated yellow rose--Sparkle and Shine, related to the Julia Child Rose--caught...

A honey bee heads toward the Sparkle and Shine rose, related to the Julia Child Rose. This one was purchased in 2013 at the CCUH Rose Days. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A honey bee heads toward the Sparkle and Shine rose, related to the Julia Child Rose. This one was purchased in 2013 at the CCUH Rose Days. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Although honey bees prefer such flowers as lavender, borage, bee balm, catmint and zinnia, they cannot resist the Sparkle and Shine. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Although honey bees prefer such flowers as lavender, borage, bee balm, catmint and zinnia, they cannot resist the Sparkle and Shine. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Sparkle and Shine!

It's not "Rise and Shine!" any more. It's "Sparkle and Shine." "Sparkle and Shine," a yellow rose related to the Julia Child Rose, drew quite a bit of attention at the UC Davis event, "Roses: the "Eyeconic Weekend," sponsored May 4-5 by...

Honey bee foraging on a yellow rose, "Sparkle and Shine!" (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Honey bee foraging on a yellow rose, "Sparkle and Shine!" (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A sign tells it all. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A sign tells it all. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Dave Fujino, executive director of the California Center for Urban Horticulture with Missy Gable, newly selected statewide director of the UC Master Gardener Program. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Dave Fujino, executive director of the California Center for Urban Horticulture with Missy Gable, newly selected statewide director of the UC Master Gardener Program. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey

Plants 'n Pollinators

If you love to watch pollinators at work in your garden--especially the honey bees and the bumble bees--first you have to provide the plants.  Promise yourself to plant pollinator plants periodically.  But which ones? The UC Davis...

A honey bee navigating an azure bush germander. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A honey bee navigating an azure bush germander. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Bees are fond of Cenizo, Leucophyllum frutescens. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Bees are fond of Cenizo, Leucophyllum frutescens. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Black-faced bumble bee, Bombus californicus, heads for Cleveland sage, Salvia clevelandii. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Black-faced bumble bee, Bombus californicus, heads for Cleveland sage, Salvia clevelandii. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

An Awesome Bloomer

At first glance, we thought "Strawberry blossoms!" Not strawberries, though. The white-floral ground cover at the Benicia Capitol State Historic Park is Sutera cordata or bacopa, as identified by Missy Gable, program manager of the California...

Honey bee foraging in bacopa on grounds of the Benicia Capitol State Historic Park. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Honey bee foraging in bacopa on grounds of the Benicia Capitol State Historic Park. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Pollen-covered Benicia bee on bacopa. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Pollen-covered Benicia bee on bacopa. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Everything's Coming Up Roses--and a Few Bees

Honey bees aren't that much into roses. Wild roses, yes. Cultivated roses, not so much. Given a choice, they'll take the lavenders, mints and salvia (sage) over the roses any time. Occasionally, however, we see honey bees foraging on roses in the UC...

Honey bee foraging on a rose. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Honey bee foraging on a rose. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Honey bee blends into a rose. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Honey bee blends into a rose. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Honey bee working a rose. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Honey bee working a rose. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

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