Bee Hotel

A short visit mid-day to Norton Priory - the Priory remains and the museum are out of bounds, re-opening in August after major work assisted by the Heritage Lottery Fund. But the walled garden is open.

And it's a fabulous place. I took lots of pics of the cottagy borders, the colourful plants, and the rows of vegetables and fruit. It holds the national collection of quince trees, but the fruit aren't evident yet. The fruit is sent to cumbria where a lady with magical skills turns it into jelly.

The whole place is a good habitat for foraging bees, who of course need homes - a hive for the honey bees, and these holes for the solitary bees. 

Access to the place is interesting - essentially through one of Runcorn's business parks. The monks at the Priory, and the Brooke's family who lived at the tudor then georgian (and then demolished) house up to the 1920's would have been astonished at the changes wrought around here. As it is the whole site is a tranquil oasis between the Bridgewater and Ship Canals in an otherwise much changed urban environment. We'll have to go back when the museum re-opens and explore the wider estate, when we've a bit more time.

Extra - an interesting art piece set into the wall. Someone is making sure the ivy does not smother it. And I had to add a floral blip. It is a garden after all.