Last year during the first lock down in particular, it became 100% clear to me that I needed to change, and was changing how I lived in order to do my very small part to support nature with the major changes it and we are facing.

It is easy to feel overwhelmed in the face of melting glaciers, fires, floods and hurricanes, but psychologically, I know that when we take action, do something, however small, then that small sense of agency gives us courage and hope instead of despair and fear.

So I decided to hand over parts of the garden to nature.  I left a lot of the grass uncut, let the nettles and green alkanet grow and stood back.

At first nothing, just long grass.

Then:

The usual, sparrows and I think 3 robins.

A couple of slow worms, we have had these in the past so I am glad they are still here.

Our regular blackbirds which call in the dawn and dusk,

A thrush; a new addition.

A buzzard was visiting for the first time, if not nesting, then very local.

Two pigeons (rather than just one),

Loads of shrews or water voles, I’m not quite sure which they are, but they are tiny, smaller than mice and have short tails and long noses (see the photo on this blog).

More birds eating the seeds of the longer grasses, some yellowy ones with a dash of red.

More butterlies.

Two huge toads and lots of tiny froglets unharmed by the lawnmower as they explore from the pond next door.

A pheasant.

Then, magically, given that we live on a busy corner of two roads, my son said ‘there’s a rabbit’.

I have never seen a rabbit (or a pheasant) in my garden in all the years I have lived here.  I wasn’t sure I believed him. He insisted.

Then this.  The poo. On the path one morning.

Evidence.

I know rabbit poo when I see it!  We tried to keep rabbits as pets when we were kids and they always escaped.  I still haven’t see the rabbit itself, but I am glad it hopped by.

So, a small action (or inaction).  A firm intention to not ‘tidy’ this land which I am the guardian of, but to share it with what wants to come,

and it came.

The rabbit poo makes me so happy.

The fact that I have only seen one lady bird this year does not.  We usually have swarms. Just one solitary bug in midsummer.

Maybe they will come back next year.

I will leave my garden free of all chemicals,

plant more flowers and herbs,

leave space,

and watch,

to see what comes next year.

 

I took inspiration from We are the Ark  and the Blue Campaign which garden rewilding – how about trying a bit next year?

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