Purple Passion Bee Food . .
One of the many reasons spring is such a joyous season for me – the deliciously scented Wisteria sinensis, Wisteria, with all her over the top purpleness ! The bees love this flower , the great carpet covering a pergola in the Hamilton Gardens, outside the Wintec Hort campus staff room, has many honey bees foraging even on a cool windy day. It was difficult, but I managed to keep the door open just to allow the scent to drift through . .
Wisteria grows well in our temperate climate, often the vines entwine and a great mangle of knotty wood happens. Out at a wonderful old home and garden called `Woodlands`, in the countryside not far from where I live, there is an ancient old wisteria that is over 100yrs old now and still flowering in spring. The scent alone is a reason to plant this vine, it is so divine. Soft green leaves follow the flowers making a dappled light effect over summer. Deciduous, the Wisteria vine will clamber over most things, I have seen it draped along a fence, up and over an old shed and very prettily arranged hanging down in racemes all the way along a veranda front – birds build nests in it – it is just an all round spring/summer delight ..
Always prune back reasonably hard after flowering, don`t leave it till later as the next years flowers are on the new growth and you don`t want to loose those ! There is a pretty white variety which is in flower along the front of the pavilion at the Hamilton Gardens, it never seems to be as flamboyant as the purple one . .
Źródło: Purple Passion Bee Food . .
Źródło: Purple Passion Bee Food . .