A water fountain in my garden has become a favorite drinking/bathing spot for birds from near and far, all kinds of birds that I could not name. I have never been good at remembering names. I am not the typical bird-watcher who knows every name of every bird by color, shape, or sound. I do, however, watch my birds. I can confidently report that they, like us humans, come in all sizes and colors and shapes. Birds began coming to my garden after a cold spring in upstate NY.
When it was warm enough and the soil was not soggy, I have worked in my garden. It took years to get to know the soil because my yard used to be covered by a demanding lawn. I had to convince the ground that my planned poly-garden would give it life. Lawns are bad for the environment; they require too much water and need fertilizers to be free of weeds, which are a natural biodiversity. It took reducing the size of the lawn, followed by cycles of planting perennials of different sizes, shapes and colors mixed with annuals and vegetables to get rid of layers of chemicals. Now, tomatoes and roses and honeysuckle flourish, support and nurture each other.