Garden Census

I am going to start a regular garden census, noticing all the creatures that call my garden home – those with feet, mandibles, feathers, or roots.

Today I start with two of my favorite species, Homo sapiens and canis lupus familiaris. Today’s census: Homo sapiens 2, canis lupus familiaris 1.

For the fast 18 years the Homo sapiens count was 3, but as is common in the young of this species the adolescent has dispersed in search of new territory and mates. And hopefully education.

For most of my gardening life I have gardened for humans. For beauty, for food, for therapy and exercise. My garden has been Homo sapiens-centric, made for our needs and pleasures.

I am finding that increasingly empty. Or maybe my needs and pleasures have changed. I find that I need to feel part of an ecosystem to find pleasure and interest in my garden. I need company – bats, birds, squirrels, bunnies, bees, spiders, beetles, worms, and flies. Maybe I could do without the rats.

So because I want to garden for the company, I want to know who I am living with. I am going to pay attention, look closely, look and describe. Who else calls this fifth of an acre home?