Bee on a flower

Recent posts on flowers at Xandari (here and here) have gotten me thinking about all of the work that goes into making such beauty possible. Mostly I had in mind Xandari’s head gardener, José Luis, and his excellent team. Snapping the above photo, however, I was reminded of nature’s great contribution in the process.

Without the help of bees, nature could never put on display her spectacular display of color. Their visitations are a crucial part of the reproductive cycle of flowers, as they collect pollen on their legs and bodies that they will carry to other plants. Xandari’s rich variety of flowers easily accommodates this natural “gardener” (one of only many), the bee, in addition to other creatures enjoying their nectar (honey-creepers, hummingbirds, and what-not). Three cheers to the bees for making it all happen!

More of the bees’ handiwork