Gardening with Wildlife: Flowers, Flowers, Many flowers!

Updates from the Ecologist Garden

This morning, when I saw the many flowers in the garden, I thought indeed this is a miracle. The miracle of life! A few months ago that place was only a frozen lawn. When one looks at life simple things with the eyes of a child one could see miracles happening. The opening of a flower becomes a magic event.

A friend and I were talking about whether or not miracles happen. For me, I said, miracles and magic are synonyms or components of wonder. Everything could be a miracle and it depends on our perspective. Everything in our ordinary reality, could be made special and somewhat miraculous. Events such as the opening of a flower, the colors of birds and butterflies, the possibility of being guided by electromagnetic fields, the moon directing the reproduction of certain species and the behavior of others.. all of that is ordinary, yet extraordinary.

Why are some lilies orange, yellow or other colors? Why do they have different tones? How this world came to be...This questions look simple yet they could and have indeed be the subject of scientific studies. It all started with a question, a wonder, a surprise.

I use the garden to ask questions and find answers. Sometimes, however, I just walk there barefoot to feel the earth, to touch the flowers, and to look at the insects. I also see the birds, the frogs, a couple of wasps..several kids of of bees, and of course the flowers. I wonder...If I was expecting only to see beautiful flowers or birds or special things, I would miss the tiny critters. I would miss a big portion of the beauty and the complexity of life.

Some animals visit the plants in search of resources from the flowers, others seek the water drops that accumulated when I watered the garden or after a rain. Others look for shelter and some look to prey on those feeding on the flowers. Next time you see a flower, open your eyes to the tiny things and enjoy the great diversity of life.