Gillie Muir

We spoke with Gillie Muir about her Watts honey, how it's made and what's her favourite thing about being the Watts beekeeper.

Can you tell us about yourself and what you make?

Before bees, I worked in wildlife conservation with the Mammal Society
and the Bat Conservation Trust for twelve years and served as a trustee for
The Surrey Wildlife Trust for eleven years.

That background in protecting Britain’s
Wildlife deeply influences my approach to beekeeping - one rooted in
respect, balance, and biodiversity. It's important, for example, that the
number of colonies at Watts Gallery is small and always kept below ten to
prevent competition with wild pollinators.

What inspires your work and process?

My beekeeping focuses very much on keeping my bees healthy. Foraging bees visiting flowers can spread disease. Healthy bees are also productive bees! Regular colony inspections in summer prevent swarming and disease, and preparations for winter (starting in August!) ensure they are fit and healthy the following Spring.

The honey extraction process also has a huge impact on flavour; our raw Watts honey is not pasteurised which changes its biochemistry and destroys amino acids from pollen. Regular extractions ensure that each small batch of our honey captures the character of Watts Gallery’s local environment - the soil, flowers, hedgerows and trees in a particular season - and varies every year.

The honey from Watts Gallery is ‘polyfloral’ and sourced from a wide range of flowers rather than a single flower source like lime or lavender.

This not only brings depth and layers of flavour to the honey, but also makes for a healthier range of amino acids for the bees’ brood, as the bees work out what they need and self-medicate accordingly, rather than being confined to a single food source.

Do you have a special story about the honey you make or your process?

This year, I believe the bees at Watts Gallery discovered heather probably on the gorgeous heathland at nearby Puttenham Common and I think their honey this year has a delicious background hint of heather in amongst other flavours.

The reduced rainfall this summer also seemed to affect them, resulting in a smaller harvest but a richer, more intense
flavour.

What does it mean to you to be part of the Watts Gallery shop this Christmas?

I’m delighted that proceeds from honey sales support the Gallery’s charitable and community programmes, blending art, nature, and teaching - I feel so lucky to have the Gallery, ‘Surrey’s Hidden Gem’ on our doorstep".

Many refer to beekeeping as a craft (though personally, I like to think my
beekeeping is based more on science!), and I suspect George and Mary Watts would have supported the idea of including beekeeping in their Artists’ Village.

Why do you think it’s important to support independent makers and shop small at Christmas?

A jar or two of local honey makes a lovely Christmas present and it should be viewed like a fine wine. This is a subject I feel strongly about!

There’s something truly special about buying local - supporting craftspeople, valuing their work, and appreciating the quality and authenticity of what they make. When you shop locally, your money stays within the community - it supports livelihoods (or at least helps cover costs!), reduces environmental impact, and keeps traditional skills alive.

Every purchase from an independent maker is a small but powerful act of
sustainability keeping skills we value alive.