Looking for some feedback

[catjac1975]

I would love to see blue morning glory. The vine twining around the post and eventually wrapping around the post box-perfection. I like the idea of the postman having to push aside flowers to deliver the mail. As a romantic notion not an annoyance.

 

[catjac1975]

What is good for one person, may not be good for another. When we lived in Cal., we had 3 mail boxes in a group at the edge of the middle house. Well, some of them were planted with flowering plants all around. The Mailman was allergic to bees and he refused to deliver the mail to them, so the people had to go to the post office to pick up their mail.

So sad!

 

[Smart Red]

That is not only "so sad", it is strange. I would think there were many homes along a mail route that would have flowers growing near the house or near the mailbox. It is hard to imagine everyone with flowers being required to get their own mail.

 

[journey11]

What is good for one person, may not be good for another. When we lived in Cal., we had 3 mail boxes in a group at the edge of the middle house. Well, some of them were planted with flowering plants all around. The Mailman was allergic to bees and he refused to deliver the mail to them, so the people had to go to the post office to pick up their mail.

Just plain silly. He's overreacting. Foraging bees are very docile and aren't going to sting unless you smash them. They would be too busy to take notice of him. Not like they'd be guarding the mailbox or anything. If they kept the plants short enough to not crowd the opening of the mailbox, there wouldn't be a problem. I suppose I'd get rid of the flowers and put in a rock garden and things that didn't have a bloom before I'd go to the extent of picking up my mail at the post office. Or plant feverfew, which repels bees.

 

[catjac1975]

Indoor kids are afraid of nature.

 

[Jared77]

An episode of an anaphylaxis can be utterly terrifying. Even 1 can make people paranoid. It's unfortunate but a very real reality. It's too bad for the homeowners but I can sympathize with the carrier.

 

[bobm]

Some people are quite allergic to bee stings ... My father in law loved to garden, so he had a family orchard and a huge garden as well as chickens on his acre lot in S. Cal.. It seems that the bees would seek out my father in law to sting him anywhere / anyplace ... when stung he would swell up like a balloon. So he always wore long sleeved shirt, long pants and a hat with a screen veil when gardening. On one occation, He even had to cut off his wedding ring pronto or loose a finger.

 

[thistlebloom]

I think using the term "bees" as a catchall term is the problem. Foraging honeybees are not aggressive, wasps and hornets frequently are, and will go out of their way to sting what they see as an interloper.

 

[thistlebloom]

An episode of an anaphylaxis can be utterly terrifying. Even 1 can make people paranoid. It's unfortunate but a very real reality. It's too bad for the homeowners but I can sympathize with the carrier.

Maybe time to get an indoor job then?

 

[Lavender2]

My son had a severe reaction to a wasp sting on his face. A horrible trip to the ER and his eyes swelled shut for two days... he was instructed to carry two epipens always and go right to ER. The problem too often is people don't let their doctor know of a reaction and take precautionary steps if they get stung again in the close future. Years later, if you have not had any stings, usually the severe reaction chance is much less.

I think you have to keep it in perspective - only about 3-4% of adults will have a severe reaction.

I think using the term "bees" as a catchall term is the problem. Foraging honeybees are not aggressive, wasps and hornets frequently are, and will go out of their way to sting what they see as an interloper.

I agree, the only time in all my years of gardening I've been stung by a foraging honeybee is when I deadheaded one in a flower. Stupid! But get in the path of a wasp and they are heartless, and dang do they hurt!