Earth is filled with garden varieties to meet year-round survival needs of life varieties.Food Fight #42 Sparrows jump onto grass stalks that have flowered, been wind pollinated and produced grass seed. The weight of each nimble bird bends the stalk like a flexible pole. The sparrow maintains balance during the brief ride down. It scoots sideways on the stalk towards the seedhead that is now on the ground. So this is how they do it! Sparrows eat many other things including clover petals, grass, ants, spiders, beetles and other insects. For sparrows, even a small patch of natural environment is like a salad and insect bar. Because we can, humans single-mindedly plant rock gardens, flower gardens, vegetable gardens, water gardens, butterfly gardens, rose gardens, wet gardens and container gardens. Why not embrace an original, self-maintaining garden? A spot where what grows, stays, and is not messed up or messed with for one or more years. A self-maintaining garden, or aspects of it, could be in the corners of the yard or along fence lines. No, it doesn't have to be a yard full; but simply this: not cutting or removing plants along one or more sides of a house, garage, shed, doghouse or any structure. It could be under trees or bushes. It could be a single plant allowed to grow wherever it finds a suitable home, even if that's within one of our precious gardens. There is benefit to a dandelion here, a grass plant there, clover over there or a plantain somewhere. Learning the importance of every plant and leaving just one more plant alone to do its thing and complete its life cycle is a respectful goal. This small change makes a bigger difference for a variety of small creatures whose only ability to survive through every season (especially winter) depends on nutrients, shelter and materials they can only get from a self-maintaining plant or a self-maintaining garden. See Also:
Growing Food: Green Thumb Not Required But Three Things Are. Food Fight #51 – Another Grown-Folks Misconception
