Beehives helping Folster Gardens bloom

Southland Bee Society chairman Geoff Scott sets up new hives at Folster Gardens in Invercargill. Photo / Laura Smith

A new apiary has been set up at Folster Gardens, where the benefit of resident bees is evident in the floral blooms.

The hives, set up by the Southland Bee Society, are based at the private Invercargill gardens owned by Trevor Huggins and his wife, Lynne.

They had owned the property for the past 14 years, and the garden had flourished since the bees had been introduced in the past four years, Mr Huggins said.

"It's been quite changing, as far as the garden goes, by having these critters about."

Nearly all flowers in the garden were bee-friendly, and different plants were in bloom each week of the year.

It was important having the pollinators around to rejuvenate plants, he said.

Southland Bee Society Chairman Geoff "The Bee-man" Scott said it was a "hand-in-hand relationship".

Last week, he tended to some of the garden's hives and set up a new apiary.

It was a great place to breed bees, and the space provided a handy teaching location for society members, he said.

The society held a welcome barbecue at the gardens on Wednesday evening, after its base changed to the nearby Kennington Hall.

"We have the hives here all year round, and they have functions here. The bees don't come out and annoy people — that's the good thing about having happy, healthy bees."