In The Night Garden
Derek wanted to see how the garden was growing, but it was already dark. Not to be discouraged we found a flashlight and went out for a spotlight garden tour.
The night garden has a different feel than in the day. I've enjoyed the coolness and darkness of it before, but I'd never taken a flashlight out.
With the beam of the flashlight we pointed out tomatoes and onions and cauliflower. But, we also pointed out some less expected things, too.
There were so many critters back there, some of whom show themselves in the daylight hours, but some of whom must spend the day hiding out in cool, dark places, underground. There were big, iridescent beetles carrying slugs through the grass in their little mouths. They looked black in certain light, but would also start to shine like a piece of silver...and then lime-greenish silver. They were pretty lovely for beetles, which I admit are not my favorite of all the critters. The house finches were singing the last songs of the evening from the bush on the north fence and the crickets picked it up where the birds left off. A long legged spider was hanging in the tomatoes branches. There was a six foot section of garden bed that was covered, just covered, in long, fat earthworms. Some of them shot quickly back into their holes when the light hit them. I still counted 19, I think. We're glad to see them. They help carry the compost top dressing we give each plant down into the soil, enriching it.
It was really neat to be able to see all that was going on at the soil level in the garden at night. For all the quietness it was a bustle of activity.
The night garden has a different feel than in the day. I've enjoyed the coolness and darkness of it before, but I'd never taken a flashlight out.
With the beam of the flashlight we pointed out tomatoes and onions and cauliflower. But, we also pointed out some less expected things, too.
There were so many critters back there, some of whom show themselves in the daylight hours, but some of whom must spend the day hiding out in cool, dark places, underground. There were big, iridescent beetles carrying slugs through the grass in their little mouths. They looked black in certain light, but would also start to shine like a piece of silver...and then lime-greenish silver. They were pretty lovely for beetles, which I admit are not my favorite of all the critters. The house finches were singing the last songs of the evening from the bush on the north fence and the crickets picked it up where the birds left off. A long legged spider was hanging in the tomatoes branches. There was a six foot section of garden bed that was covered, just covered, in long, fat earthworms. Some of them shot quickly back into their holes when the light hit them. I still counted 19, I think. We're glad to see them. They help carry the compost top dressing we give each plant down into the soil, enriching it.
It was really neat to be able to see all that was going on at the soil level in the garden at night. For all the quietness it was a bustle of activity.
Sounds like a wonderful evening to me!
ReplyDeleteYou really have to find out what kind of beetle carries away slugs. We all want them. I had no idea earth worms came out to the surface of the ground at might. Do you know anyone who has a night vision camera or some way to capture all this?
ReplyDeleteWell I like the sound of that, I think we will take a midnight peek at our garden too :)
ReplyDelete