Green-veined White and Inula

We took the bus down to the Botanical Playground Gardens for a stroll among the flowers, bees and butterflies.

It was surprisingly busy considering entry is by ticket but the magnificent herbaceous border and the demonstration gardens were relatively quiet and packed with bee-friendly planting. I might add extra photos tomorrow.

Edit: I have added a collage as an extra, depicting: Top Left - red-tailed bee, Bombus lapidarius, female, possibly queen.
 Bottom Left - side view of ripe sunflower head, revealing seeds.
Top Right - the 'rainbow of flowers' planted in front of the cottage. Bottom right - Eucryphia glutinosa, the shrub was a mass of these flowers, also attractive to bees.
Middle - specimens of Bere barley, Hordeum vulgare, the 6-row variety, one of the earliest varieties in cultivation. Handling this, I was surprised how much friction the bristles (awns) had, as though covered in tiny hooks, surely a perfect aid to animal seed distribution.

I have posted yesterday's blip of the Japanese Gardens, with the intention of expanding the text and adding photos but time has not permitted sufficient preparation as yet. I shall catch up with comments in good time.