Nestled in the heart of the Wickwood Cottage garden, there bloomed a cheerful patch of daisies. Their petals were as white as fresh snow, with golden hearts that sparkled like drops of sunshine. Each day, they swayed and danced in the soft breeze, their tiny faces lifted to the sky, always eager for a visit from their dearest friends—the bees.
The garden was a magickal place, where the flowers whispered secrets and the trees hummed lullabies in the wind. All the plants had their special visitors, and for the daisies, the bees were not only pollinators, but beloved companions. They would share news of the world beyond the garden—of distant fields and meadows of bustling hives and the adventures of the day.
As the sun began to dip low in the sky, casting long shadows across the garden, the daisies sighed with a hint of sadness. The warmth of the day was fading, and though they had basked in the sunlight all afternoon, something was missing. Their friends had not come to visit.
“I wonder where they are,” whispered Daisy May, the smallest of the bunch, her petals trembling softly. “They never miss a visit.”
“I’m sure they’re just busy,” replied Daisy Clara, always the calmest, though even she looked worried as the shadows lengthened. “The bees have so much work to do, after all. Perhaps they’re far away in the fields.”
“But what if they’ve forgotten us?” asked Daisy Ann, whose golden centre drooped a little. “The day is nearly over!”
The sky grew a deeper shade of orange, and still, no sign of their buzzing friends. The garden grew quieter as the other flowers closed their petals, preparing for the night.
Just when the daisies had nearly given up hope, a soft hum filled the air. It was faint at first, like the sound of a distant melody, but it grew louder and closer, until at last, a golden swarm of bees appeared, darting through the fading light. Their wings shimmered in the dusk and the daisies perked up instantly.
“They’re here! They’re here!” Daisy May cried with delight, her petals brightening at once.
The bees landed gently upon the daisies, their tiny feet tickling the flowers’ soft centres. "Oh, dear friends, we’re so sorry to be late!" buzzed the lead bee, a sprightly fellow named Buzzley. "We’ve been gathering the last of the season’s nectar from a faraway field. The clover blooms were too sweet to resist!"
The daisies, once drooping with sadness, were now filled with joy.
"We were worried we wouldn’t see you before nightfall," said Daisy Clara, her golden heart beaming. "Tell us, what news do you bring from the meadows?"
And so, under the gentle glow of twilight, the bees told the daisies all about their day. They spoke of fields where the grasses swayed like waves in the breeze, of distant hills where wildflowers bloomed in every shade imaginable and of their hive, where the queen was growing ready to rest for the winter.
The daisies listened with wonder, enchanted by the stories of far-off lands they could only dream of. They shared their own news in turn—of how the garden had welcomed a family of butterflies that morning, and how the wind had carried the scent of rosemary all the way from the herb patch.
As the night drew near, the bees knew it was time to return to their hive. "We must go now," said Buzzley, his voice warm with affection. "But we will see you tomorrow, dear friends. Sleep well beneath the stars."
With a soft farewell, the bees rose into the air, their wings shimmering in the dusk and soon they were but a faint hum in the distance. The daisies, their hearts full once more, sighed happily as they watched their friends disappear into the darkening sky.
The garden grew quiet and the stars began to twinkle above, casting a soft light on the flowers below. One by one, the daisies slowly closed their petals, feeling content and at peace. They knew that even though the day had come to an end, tomorrow would bring more sunshine, more stories, and another visit from their friends.
And so, the daisies of Wickwood Cottage fell asleep under the stars, their hearts warm with the memory of friendship, as the garden settled into the peaceful hush of night.