One of my favourite childhood memories is of spending hours in our garden, gathering petals to make flower perfumes. Many years later, in the summer of 2023, I sat, reminiscently, with wildflowers in jam jars on my piano and composed Diary of the Bee. Seeking to portray the essence of each of the wildflowers in turn, their beautiful hues, intriguing fragrances, and delicate petal shapes, together with the symbolism of each and many personal associations, it proved to be one of my happiest-ever writing experiences. The première was given by John Bradbury and the Victoria String Quartet, at St Mary’s Preparatory School, Melrose on Friday 6th October, just before they recorded the work, at Marchmont House. It was a joy for me to narrate the verses of Diary of the Bee to an audience full of wide-eyed young children that afternoon. The work is dedicated to my five daughters, Rose, Elisabeth, Mary, Victoria and Katherine.