My hands were full. Or maybe I didn't have time to stop and remove the leaf. I told myself, it's acting as mulch, keeping moisture in and heat out. Maybe the Swiss Cheese plant--whose leaves are still whole--likes its roots to stay cool. Kind of like roses. Besides, leaves are biodegradable right? It's probably adding some much needed nutrients.
It's basically the same argument I make when I'm too lazy to rake up fallen leaves or newly mown grass.
So I left the useless withered leaf in the potted plant without giving it much more thought.
The next time I watered my plants the leaf was gone. The wind had brought it to my front door, and later blew it away. No big deal.
A few weeks went by and another leaf was blown into the pot. Again, it was brown and crinkly. Useless, except as mulch or plant food.
This occured a few times over a couple months. Each time I saw the leaves, there occured a small niggling sensation in the back of my mind.
Almost all of the leaves on the trees in the neighborhood are still green. Some in my back yard are turning yellow. Only a few of the yellow leaves have actually fallen. And none of the fallen are as old and brittle as the leaves that are being blown into my potted plant. The wind must have blown these leaves in from a far off spot.
Or maybe they are "mulch" from a neighbors yard. 😉
Tonight as I watered my plants I noticed another leaf had blown into the pot. With this much fairly regular traffic, my "sheltered" area apparently isn't as sheltered as I thought. As soon as the water hit the leaf, it startled--which in turn startled me!
So I left the useless withered leaf in the potted plant without giving it much more thought.
The next time I watered my plants the leaf was gone. The wind had brought it to my front door, and later blew it away. No big deal.
A few weeks went by and another leaf was blown into the pot. Again, it was brown and crinkly. Useless, except as mulch or plant food.
This occured a few times over a couple months. Each time I saw the leaves, there occured a small niggling sensation in the back of my mind.
Almost all of the leaves on the trees in the neighborhood are still green. Some in my back yard are turning yellow. Only a few of the yellow leaves have actually fallen. And none of the fallen are as old and brittle as the leaves that are being blown into my potted plant. The wind must have blown these leaves in from a far off spot.
Or maybe they are "mulch" from a neighbors yard. 😉
Tonight as I watered my plants I noticed another leaf had blown into the pot. With this much fairly regular traffic, my "sheltered" area apparently isn't as sheltered as I thought. As soon as the water hit the leaf, it startled--which in turn startled me!
My leaf was none other than Mr.Toad!
Toads are great critters to have in the garden. They have a voracious appetite and can consume ten thousand slugs, bugs, gnats. and skeeters in one summer. I welcome any animal, amphibian or not, that gets rid of skeeters and gnats so I can enjoy relaxing outside. Mr. Toad looks like he could very well be an Insect Eating Champ. He has the physique of one who has obviously let his figure go to "waist." Can we say "skeeter Buda belly?"
Since I want to encourage Mr. Toad to take up permanent residence here, I have started looking at frog shelters. Thus far, I have only found two I've liked. One looks like a gnome cottage built by the Artist Owner of That Art Place during one of her clay building classes. I've considered taking one of her clay building class--she usually hosts one each month. Unfortunately, my schedule and hers have not meshed. Case in point, her next class is on a Saturday I'm scheduled to work.
The second frog shelter I like is one my Garden-Buddy ordered online. I can't be a copy-cat and get the same one. Well, I could; however, I'm not.
The most important characteristics I am looking for are a bottomless structure to allow for burrowing in the cooling mud or earth, and a frog shelter that is Moggy-proof. I really want it to have a back door. An escape hatch as it were. Or a vestibule a cats paw can not get around. I would be heart-sick if my Toad SafeHaven turned into Moggy's private SnackPantry.
So I'm on the lookout for a Toad Abode worthy of a king--or at least my new Prince.
As in Charming. 🤴
Nothing is too good for my worthless leaf. 😉
Nothing is too good for my worthless leaf. 😉
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