Wild Visitors

One of the reasons I wanted to redesign my garden, other than it looked horrendous before I did so, was to create a space for the wildlife in the area to find a hangout. They would find shelter, food, water, a place to hide, a place to make babies, and they would provide us with enjoyable encounters with the wild world.
I don't mind if they have 2 legs, 4 legs, or more. Everyone is welcome. Well, almost everyone. The snails are quite destructive, and I've taken to handpicking them and either throwing them over the wall, or putting them in a tray of salt. These snails are not the kind you want to eat, unfortunately, or I could open up an hors d'ouevres stand! I try to encourage beneficial insects, such as those lovely beetles pictured above.

I also love my cute little brown lizards. They love to lounge on top of the wall in the sun, or on the deck, doing their Frank LaLanne imitation - push ups! When we first moved into this house, I had the back door open, and came into the living room one day to find a lizard in the middle of the floor! It didn't frighten me as much as it made me worry. How was I going to safely get this little critter outside where it belonged? I really didn't want the cute little bugger to starve to death in the house. I was able to sneak up on it (which still amazes me, as they have quick reflexes) and got a plastic bowl over him. Of course part of his tail was sticking out, but I gently slid a small piece of cardboard underneath the lizard and the bowl, and got him safely outside.

I keep a thick layer of mulch on the soil surface, and as that decomposes, it adds beneficial nutrients to the soil. Mulching makes it somewhat more difficult to keep the garden cleaned up, but I like a somewhat wild and random appearance, and when the leaves fall, they also decompose into the mulch. It's like a mini composting session under each plant. Each year, I top-dress with more mulch. Mulching also keeps the soil moister and cooler, which helps alot in the hot summer. We are very water-conscious in California, so I do what I can to minimize water usage. We don't get enough rain, usually, so anything that's planted either needs to be irrigated, or can grow with little or no water. Mulching helps by keeping more water in the soil.

We have many feathered friends who visit the garden. I do not put out extra seed for them, but rather want them to take what they need from the natural sources, of which there are many. When you plant shrubs and flowers that have certain colors or configurations, or let the flowers drop seed, the birds will find what they require. I also have a solar-powered water fountain that I clean and fill with clean water weekly. Often, I will see Purple Finches and Hummingbirds drinking there. In the spring, there was a Purple Finch nest right outside our dining room window. It was great to be able to provide a source of water for them. I saw the baby outside of the nest one morning, ready to fly away. Sadly, I had to go to work and couldn't monitor her progress, but when I got home later that day, I think I saw the Finch family hanging out on the roof.

I love to sit outside on the deck and watch the steady stream of visitors find the nourishment and shelter they need. Often, the hummingbirds will hover just a couple of feet from me, watching me, and I think they are thanking me for providing them with a nice place to live. They give me joy, and I repay them by giving them what they need. In another entry, I will discuss Integrated Pest Management. No, it's not for your family members! It's planning and planting a garden that works with nature, and keeping the plants healthy so they do not succumb to pests or diseases. It's treating these conditions in a way that doesn't harm the environment of the garden, and keeps everything safe.