The Power of Attraction

Parsley (Petroselinum hortense) Flower Detail

I'm slowly working on attracting wildlife into my very small garden. One group of creatures I'm trying to attract are the "beneficials." Whether they happen to be insects, birds, lizards, earthworms, or what have you, the beneficials perform useful services in the garden such as eating the pests that damage plants (or would otherwise bug me), pollinating fruits and vegetables, or improving the soil.  In order for them to be happy in my yard they need a habitat that (1) doesn't kill them; and (2) provides food, water, shelter, and the right conditions for reproduction. Tiny beneficial insects may not seem very much like "wildlife," but I think they are essential to a diverse and balanced ecosystem that supports the health of plants and animals that we all enjoy having in the yard.

Some of the best plants for attracting small-scale beneficials are those that bear tiny individual flowers such as those on the parsley plant above. Parsley, like its cousins, bears loose, umbrella-like flower heads that rise high above the plant on tall stems. Each flower head has more stems that hold up more, smaller flower heads that hold yet more stems, each bearing aloft a tiny flower that invites correspondingly tiny flying insects to come for dinner. This large flower head is about 3.5 inches across. The small flower head on which the wasp is resting is about half an inch across. 

 Wasp Sipping Nectar from Parsley Blossom

Other flowers that at first glance may look like one big flower are actually also composed of many small flowers in one flower head. Many of these, some more than others, are very attractive to our useful little visitors. Sunflowers, daisies, zinnias and cosmos are just a few examples. When you grow these for cut flowers, cut them as soon as they bloom for taking indoors, and they won't be 'buggy.' But leave a few outside and let the beneficials use them, and they'll thank you. These and lots of others like them are easy to grow in pots or in the ground in most any garden. 

One of the easiest and best-known flowers for attracting beneficials is sweet alyssum. This plant serves other functions as well. When they fill in an area, they act as a living mulch, keeping weeds at bay. They will self-sow and return again in the fall, and/or the following spring.

Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia maritima)

It is a privilege to glimpse the secret world of small, usually unseen things in the garden, and to know how important they are for the health of the whole landscape. I hope you too will be inspired to add something to your landscape to encourage local wildlife.

Cilantro/Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) Bloom detail

Well Met May

Thai Eggplant "Kermit" blossom

This pretty little blossom greeted me so happily this first day of May! There are a few of these growing in pots in my Phoenix garden. This particular plant was started from seed last spring. It grew and produced all summer, then went dormant over the winter. I moved it to a large planter until this spring, when it began to grow again. Now back in a pot, this plant should thrive in the heat and produce little eggplants all summer long, as long as I keep it well watered and make sure it gets afternoon shade.

A couple of years ago, my daughter went to Thailand with our church youth group. As part of our introduction to Thai culture, we were privileged to eat some delicious, homemade Thai food prepared by a lovely Thai American woman who, along with her husband, helped lead the trip and served as liaison. One of the dishes she prepared was a fiery green curry prepared with beef, coconut milk, and featuring small, round, green eggplants with white stripes. I was inspired to try my hand at cooking Thai food at home. The only problem was that I found it difficult to source some of the authentic fresh ingredients for the dishes. My solution: grow your own!

The Phoenix, Arizona desert climate is hot, dry, and challenging for gardeners during summer, but the fresh Thai ingredients needed for my intended curry can all grow well here.  In addition to the eggplants, I have a dwarf Kaffir lime tree, purchased online last spring and growing in a pot, and some Thai basil in a pot. The basil herb plant was available at our local garden center, and is as easy to grow as ordinary basil, as I learned last year. Everything else I need can be found in an Asian market and my local grocery at any time.

I am determined to make Thai green curry with fresh authentic ingredients grown at home. The only reason why I did not make the curry last year was because I simply could not find Kaffir lime leaves, and my tree was barely a stick and did not yet have leaves for harvesting. But now, everything is ready; I just have to wait for the eggplants.  Among many other wonderful things, gardening teaches you patience.

To garden is to have hope for the future.

An Elephant Ride in Thailand