English Garden Hive

[NewtownBee]

NewBee here with a question. I'm just beginning, and looking at various catalogs from which to buy my first (2) hives for this spring. I'll be taking a class locally, and I'm reading everything I can.
My plan is to use 8 frame mediums and small cell foundation, thanks entirely to the info I've gleaned from my readings on this site (huge thanks to all).
I was looking at the Brushy Mtn website for 8 frame equipment, and they use the term "Garden Hive" or "English Garden Hive" for some 8 frame equipment. Is this a unique thing, or do they just mean 8 frame?
Thanks to anyone who can shed some light on this.
Samantha
Stamford, CT

[Michael Bush]

Their concept of a Garden hive is one that is all eight frame, but not necessarily all mediums. I'd check the description and if it doesn't say all mediums, I'd call and check. But the "complete kit" will have plastic foundation (not small cell) and a lot of other things you don't need. It will also have a very pretty roof that is unnecessary.

[Sundance]

If I were to get back to a couple colonies
I would for sure get the garden hive. They
are gorgeous, especially the copper roofed
ones.

[George Fergusson]

>It will also have a very pretty roof that is unnecessary.

They are attractive, but you can't set your smoker on top, or a glass of lemonade or cup of coffee. You can't turn the roof upside down on the ground and set hive bodies on it. They're also rather expensive. I have one, it came with a hive somebody gave me. I wouldn't have bought it, but now that I have it, I suppose I'll put it on my er.. garden hive [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Sundance]

I have been thinking of building one for
the back yard.

[RonS]

I don't have one, but I looked a them. I am hobbyist with one, going on three hives. I think that George summed it up--very pretty, very expensive, and not too practical outside of the aesthetic. I suggest buying the standard hive, and use your creativity to paint it. Look into HSC for your small cell if you want fully drawn plastic frames. If you want SC wax foundation, contact Peggjam from this site. He has an excellent reputation for making it. You can make the standard boxes into 8 frame with an adapter. Michael Bush has written guides on how to do this and is a big proponent of it.

[BaldyLocks]

I agree with RonS and George too. I always set brood boxes (when I break apart a hive) on my overturned outer cover. You can't do that with the fancy roof of a garden hive. You probably don't to set the box in the grass as the propolis, wax, etc will gather grass, dirt, etc pretty easily. While this probably doesn't amount to much for the bees, it won't look too good...which is the goal of the garden hives. Just my opinion of course but a good pain job does wonders

[nhbloke]

I got a garden hive kit last year,it came with all medium supers it looks so cool, I did not used the frames which came with it and got new frames with sc foundation, so have a cupboard full of unused frames which i will use one day i suposse, when i break my hive down i just put my supers on my inner cover insted of the telescoping top. My problem this year is i now want to increase the number of hives but dont want to spend all that money on the copper tops and it will look funny with one and the rest being plain. Good luck with your hive John

[Donna Marie, Honeybee by the Sea]

Hi, I am running all eight frame mediums with the copper peaked roofs from Brushy Mountain, and I love them! I did not purchase the "kit", because I wanted all real wood and real wax, no plastic. So I ordered the bits to build the brood and super boxes (really the exact same thing) and made my own ...you can see them on my website, link below.

The copper roofs may be more expensive, but it warms my heart every time I look at them, and that, my friends, is Pricless... Wishing you joy in your beekeeping Donna Marie

[Oldbee]

"Real wood and real wax"; NO PLASTIC!! "Warms my heart every time I look at them". PRICLESS!! WHOOO! HOO!! for YOU!. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[BjornBee]

George for once is right.

I have heard of some garden hives with the copper top being struck by lightning, and beekeepers losing all the bees as the hive was literally blown to pieces from the bolt of lightning.

Now that would be priceless.

I also have heard that the copper top interfers with the bees eye sight and natural homing ability as it messes with the earths magnetic lines. Bees may come out and get disoriented and not find thier way back.....

Do not miss the warnings that come with these copper top garden hives. It states very clearly that such a hive should not be used within 200 feet of power lines. And for the older beekeepers, do not work such a hive if you have a pace maker.


(Easy george...let it go.....)

[Sundance]

Donna every time I see your hives I am
in awe. Absolutely gorgeous!!!

[Ron Young]

No warning came with my hive top. And as for the danger of getting struck by lightning, I know of several houses, comercial structures, and other buildings that incorporate copper, and they are not getting struck by lightning and exploding or burning to the ground. Being that the bee hive is low to the ground, it goes against physics to say it would be as a lightning rod. I would have to say it is no less attracting to lightning than the metal sheeting used on a standard top.

As for the homing ability of the bees, ????????????. I would doubt it but who knows.

Just my opinion.

[size="1"][ January 23, 2007, 07:29 PM: Message edited by: Ron Young ][/size]

[drobbins]

>I have heard of some garden hives with the copper top being struck by lightning

foo, foo
no problem
just setup one of those invisible dog fence things with the wire that runs around in a big loop and everything within 5 miles will be protected since the lightning will always hit the fence
Don't ask me how I know

Dave

[Donna Marie, Honeybee by the Sea]

Thank you Sundance! And Samantha, how great you are starting with small cell foundation! One of my colonies is on that foundation exclusively and doing great, the other I have fed frames of SC in early spring. Plan on adding two more colonies from SC mediums nucs from Fatbeeman in spring.

Very exciting!

PS Harvested 75 pounds of honey from Francesca last July, copper tops and all!

Cheers D

[George Fergusson]

>George for once is right. [Wink]

And Bjorn is once again, correct [img]smile.gif[/img]

Donna, your hives are, as I have said before, just gorgeous.

>I have heard of some garden hives with the copper top being struck by lightning,

So why should copper roofed hive lids be more susceptible to being struck by lightning than regular zinc-coated sheet metal roofs like I have on my hives?

>I also have heard that the copper top interfers with the bees eye sight and natural homing ability

My leg is getting sore..

>(Easy george...let it go.....) [Roll Eyes]

But... but... Oh... OK.

[NewtownBee]

Thanks to everyone for their generous, informed replies. I don't think I'm going to get the copper tops, for my hives, but they are beautiful.
I really appreciate everyone's expertise regarding the small cell. I wouldn't have had the guts to start with it if it weren't for all the encouraging words on this board.
I'm going to my first meeting of our backyard beekeepers association next week, and I'm really excited to learn more about what's done around here locally.

[BjornBee]

Newtown,
I hope my input did not sway your decision. I hoped some could see through a good gag as george did. There are no lightning or other hazards. Just wanted to make sure nobody took it too serious.

As George did comment, I find the top hard to deal with. You can't place anything on them, and beyond looks, they are very non-practical. But they do look nice!

[Hobie]

For what it's worth, I bought a few copper tops last year, kind of a treat to myself because I just liked how they looked. I still carry an old flat top out with me to use as a table, but that effort does not bother me.

One advantage is that the tops are heavier and less likely to blow off in a storm.

And, Bjorn, if your hives are stacked so high that lightning strikes are a problem, I would be interested in knowing how you get the honey supers off! [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[NewtownBee]

I decided not to go with the copper tops for practicality reasons. There's so much else to buy to get this endeavor begun I figured that beauty can wait.
Thanks again,
Sam