A real buzz in the air at Webbs

Visitors to the gardens at Webbs, Wychbold, will notice a real buzz in the air this summer.

For professional bee keeper Chris Broad has established eight hives in the gardens there, which will provide up to 800 jars of exclusive Webbs’ honey each year.

Chris, who runs Saltway Honey with his wife Susan from Bromsgrove, has set up the apiary and says the hives will yield two types of honey – a firm one taken earlier in the year and a runny variety from a later harvest.

This is the first time Webbs has introduced hives to the grounds and the firm is looking forward to stocking the honey on the shelves in its Food Hall.

Chairman Ed Webb said, “We are really looking forward to having the hives here and tasting the end result. I’m sure visitors to the New Wave Garden will be interested to see the hives and hear about the progress of the honey from bee to jar. We have stunning gardens full of a wide variety of plants here at Webbs and I’m sure the bees will benefit from the rich nectar.”

Mr Broad, who has 300 hives across Bromsgrove, Droitwich and Feckenham said, “Every batch of honey has its own character and flavour and I can’t wait to taste the Webbs produce. The hives will house the Buckfast Bee, originally developed by the monks at Buckfast Abbey in Devon. They are known for being gentle, productive bees and each hive normally produces enough to fill 100 jars of honey.”