We noticed how many wasps we have, perhaps its the cold/wet weather?

If you've got a Cotoneaster, bees absolutely love it when its in flower, so if other things in your garden aren't flowering so well this year because of the weather, that might explain why there are so many on it.

Bees and wasps flock to our cotoneasters.

Yes indeed, bees do love cotoneaster...

Never gave it a thought whne we bought this place. Just outside the back door is a paved area that is fine, except for the one small detail -

As we are in a 'no piped gas' area; We are oil-fired. Thus a big tank. This has been partially hidden by a wall of those horrid, pre-cast, see-through, concrete things! But, to the previous owners credit they had planted cotoneaster on the other side. It has grown to heroic proportions and now covers the wall nicely. And, it hides the tank from this side.

A perfect spot to house the table and chairs we brought along... Some of our visitors have raised serious concerns about the amount of bees that arrive at outdoor meal-time.

lol. I let 'em complain. They don't bother me and I don't bother them. - The Bees, that is.