My 2025 diary is filling up with some great events. If you want to host a special event where you think a bee safari or a bee walk or a bee talk would work do get in touch.
My focus is on pollinators but especially our bumblebees (we have 24 species in the UK) and our solitary bees (we have around 250 species in the UK) rather than the honeybee. These are our wild bees and these are the bees that really need our help.
I’ve been presenting workshops, taking school assembly, teaching children, sharing my interactive nature table at events, planning festivals and events and even hosting bee birthday parties.
I love taking bee safaris in beautiful gardens, especially organic gardens where the pollinators are safe from chemicals.
Recent events have been at The National Botanic Gardens of Wales, RHS Wisley, RHS Rosemoor, Bristol Botanic Gardens, Jekka’s Herb Farm, Yeo Valley Organic Gardens. Heart of BS13. National Trust Hidcote, Common Farm Flowers.
I’ve also been presenting illustrated talks for gardening clubs and horticultural societies. For 2025 my diary is filling up fast with lots of exciting events.
Join a special bee workshop at RHS Wisley and RHS Rosemoor
It’s a huge honour to be invited by the Royal Horticultural Society to inspire and inform members about our amazing bumblebees and solitary bees. It’s my third year hosting my workshops at RHS Wisley. It’s a fun session and a great chance to meet some of our wild bees close up in the gardens. And I am delighted to say I am
RHS Wisley has booked me again to present workshops at their flagship garden on Saturday May 10th 2025. Tickets and more information here.
And I’m hosting a special workshop for adults and keen teenagers at RHS Rosemoor on Saturday August 30th 2025. Booking details to follow, but keep the date!
I’ve got a lovely illustrated talk to introduce you to some our our charming bumblebees and fascinating solitary bees who bring our gardens alive and pollinate our plants.
I’m going to show you why our gardens are so important for pollinators, help you discover how to support these precious pollinators by choosing powerful plants that really earn their place in the pollinator garden, and explain about nesting sites and insect houses.
After tea/coffee and cake, we will head outside to meet some of the bees close-up during a bee walk or bee safari around the spectacular gardens at RHS Rosemoor. By the end of the afternoon you will better understand the needs of your garden bees, giving you the knowledge and confidence to make positive plant and gardening choices to transform your plot into a true bee-friendly, pollinator paradise.
Tickets will be on sale soon. Watch this space.
Yeo Valley Organic Gardens – Bumblebee Safaris 2025
Whether you want to treat a friend or family member to a special morning out, or you’d like to learn more about our bumblebees and solitary bees, my sessions at Yeo Valley Organic Gardens in Somerset are great fun.
The dates for my Yeo Valley Organic Gardens – Bumblebee Safaris for 2025 have been released. It’s a fabulous chance to not only learn about our amazing wild bees (not honeybees) but to also get to visit this amazing garden. Plus you can finish with lunch at The Cake Hole (and eat more cake).
My session includes an illustrated talk, the chance to experience my unique bee inspired nature table and a bee safari around the gardens. There’s also tea or coffee on arrival and CAKE!! Book tickets here.
2025 dates now available for booking! Thur 24 April, Sat 14 June, Sat 12 July, Thur 21 Aug
Please note: The venue is Yeo Valley Organic Garden, Blagdon, BS40 7SQ and not Yeo Valley HQ
Praise for my Yeo Valley Bee Safari
“My husband and I attended the bee safari and loved it. We learned so much about bees and Jean, who hosted us was so knowledgeable and interesting. We loved going round the garden and finding the different types of bees too. I can’t think of a better way to spend a morning. Highly recommend.” Vicky Sleap
“Such an amazing experience. Jean is very knowledgeable & enthusiastic about all varieties of bees. I learnt so much I’ve been on a Bee Keeping experience before which I thoroughly enjoyed, but this was quite a different experience to that one, as this focuses on all types of bees, in their own habitat. So don’t bypass this event, just because you might have been on a Bee course before! This is an informative, interesting, safe & thoroughly enjoyable experience that I highly recommend! LOVED IT” Jayne Townley
“Jean is a fantastic, passionate and engaging host. We learned a lot about bees and the Yeo Valley gardens were absolutely stunning. We also loved the baked goods! Thank you” Rosie Williams
“The talk was informative and delivered by a genuine enthusiast who really knew her stuff. It was a very stimulating and enjoyable experience,” Jennie Colton
“Perfect weather, beautiful location… And the word enthusiastic is not enough to describe Jean ‘the bee expert’. Who knew there was so much to know about bees? I highly recommend this experience, and if you are lucky the gardens may be open to the public, so there could be cake available too.“
“I really enjoyed the Bee safari with Jean. I knew very little about bees before the event but now feel I know more and am fascinated by them. The garden at Yeo Valley was a wonderful setting and I will definitely visit it again. Thanks“
Jekka’s Herb Farm Open Days – June 6th & 7th 2025
If you’ve never been to Jekka’s Herb Farm where have you been. It’s a fabulous organic herb nursery with a demonstration herbetum, a beautiful herb garden, a shop and cafe and plants to buy galore.
Visit on an Open Day and if you’d like to learn more about your garden bees and the herb plants to support them, then come and join me on Friday June 6th and Saturday June 7th 2025 for one of my popular Bee Tours around the herbetum.