Garden Friends

There are many creatures that I welcome and look for in my garden. A friendly garden will have ladybugs, earthworms, butterflies, bees, frogs, toads and snakes to name some. I'm concerned that my garden isn't very friendly because I don't have any of the above in abundance and no frogs, toads or snakes - can't say I'm sorry though because they really make me jumpy.

Finding a ladybug however, is another matter. Tiny as they are, they evidently have voracious appetetites and feast on equally voracious aphids, intent on demolishing my roses. Every day I search for ladybugs and join them by using my fingers to squeeze the aphids off the buds. Aphids can make shortshrift of a rose bush. (I'm reminded of the children's classic: The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle, a gorgeous book rich in color and message, as is his famous childrens book: The Very Hungry Caterpillar -both beautiful books and so enjoyable.)

Click on the tiny ladybug to enlarge it and you will see the detail of this remarkable garden friend.

The compost bin is another important garden friend. I've started keeping only grass clippings and fruit and vegetable peelings from the kitchen in it. This makes great compost in a relatively short time. One section of the bin is full of older compost. Ideally, the compost should do its work over the course of a year but I find I run out of it and use it sooner. It acts as a great mulch and keeps the soil moist as it retains the water better.

The earthworm is the great composter and I'm thrilled to find the older section of compost rich with earthworms. Tune in again for a neat picture of some of those garden friends.