Berberis Darwinii and a bee enjoying the sunshine

The forecast wasn't good and pleased to wake up to a blue sky and sunshine. A walk round the garden at 8.00 ensured a sunny blip, this afternoon it's cloudy. I love the smell of the garden in the morning, before anyone else is about, I wonder why it isn't like that all day long, it's not as though we have pollution, well not until the evening fire is lit.

When standing near the Berberis I could hear bees, not see them just that lovely summer sound until one flew into view, it was evasive and obviously enjoying the orange flower. I snapped a few other flowers including the clematis Montana, a new pond plant that arrived looking a little sad, and new leaves on the apple tree.

A lovely piece of Topside is cooking, I am so hungry.

From the internet:
Berberis darwinii
Clusters of small, nodding, orange-yellow flowers appear in mid- and late spring, followed by bluish-purple autumn berries. This upright, evergreen shrub has small, spiny, dark green, holly-like leaves and is useful to fill a difficult spot in the garden, provided it has space to spread out. It also makes a good informal, flowering hedge. Vigorous and easy-to-grow, it often produces a second flush of flowers in autumn.