Two buzzards hunting over the Torridon crofts today,   one was very high `mewing` and soaring yesterday in the cool blue  air but strong sunny day following a frosty night.   But things warmed up a bit today and it was possible to plant up some recently bought bare rooted trees, Amelanchier `s or Juneberries\Shadbush which will grow and produce sweet black elderberry sized fruits after a show of hundreds of white petalled flowers in May. Sea Buckthorn was also planted for its vitamin rich orange berry crop, crab apple James Downie, Blackthorns.  A  12 metre bed of Glen Cova, raspberries and  Red Gauntlet Strawberries. And a bed of Patriot Blueberries,  some more wildflower plants grown from seed in cell trays last spring, cowslips, red campion, knapweed, and oxeye daisies to underplant last years planting of Pear, Apple, Plum trees interspersed with Guelder Rose,   . Other herbs Bergamot, lemon Balm, varigated American Land Cress. The wildflower seed was bought from Scotia Seed     www.scotiaseeds.co.uk   All these trees and flowering herbs should provide further forage for bumblebees and other insect life.

   

           Bumblebee:  Bombus lapadarius  on  Bergamot flower,    Croft7 Summer 2011      photo Les Bates