Earth Pathways Showcase

I found bush crickets in my tiny (6x4m) inner-city garden in June. On the day my granddaughter-in-law took these pictures we counted nine. They were easy to see as they basked on marigolds, phlox and verbena. Later, on rainy days, they went among leaves as green as themselves and I had to hunt to find them. I grow as many flowers as possible: in the little piece of ground, in hanging baskets, pots on shelves and climbing up the walls. I imagine birds and insects flying over grey roads and tiled rooftops looking down and seeing a refuge where they can feed and rest. Many different bees and hoverflies come, and butterflies: peacocks, tortoiseshells, red admirals when the buddleia’s flowering, come as late as October. Once, a humming-bird hawk moth hovered long enough for me to recognise it. Other occasional visitors include sparrows, goldfinches, and flocks of tits who take aphids off the climbing rose. I’ve tried feeding the birds but have had to stop as the neighbourhood crows descend, scoff everything in minutes, then quarrel and damage the plants. I found crickets in the garden every day for weeks. I hope they come again next year.

Welcome Visitors © Pat Childerhouse