Members of the Carlisle Beekeepers Association keep bees in Rose Castle garden. Their hives and bees are situated in the bee paddock, close to sources of pollen and nectar.
The bees are beneficial to the garden. They help to pollinate blossom in the orchard in spring, and they are a joy to see throughout the summer as they forage amongst wild and cultivated plants.
The beekeepers inspect the bees regularly during the warmer months to ensure they are healthy, and they check them during the winter to make sure they are not hungry.
Honey is produced if the conditions are favourable – its colour depends on which flowers the bees have been visiting. Willow, sycamore, lime and dandelion are some of their favourites here.
Rose Castle, Dalston, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA5 7BY, UK