My small urban nature preserve

 I started seriously gardening in 1990 when my wife and I purchased this house we currently live in.  The house was new, in new development and it came with lots of grass and five young Alexander Palms (three of which are still here) Over the past 29 plus years, the garden and my gardening philosophy has evolved from a decorative flower garden to a control chaotic mix of plants and trees.  One of the things I am most proud about is the way this mixture of plants and trees has attracted so much wildlife to this small urban plot of land.  The garden is home to three different types of lizards, several kinds of frogs and toads.  I have garden snakes, rats, squirrels, visiting raccoons, several types of butterflies and an endless number of insects (some beneficial to the plants and some not so much) During the winter months many migratory birds stop by or make the garden their home.

Is amazing how Mother Nature if giving a chance will come back and flourish.  My garden is 100% chemical free; I try to provide food and shelter to all the creatures occupying this small plot of land.  This year the squirrels and birds have eaten more of the mangos that I have, but that’s ok there is plenty for everyone.  Rats are part of the urban landscape, but so are feral cats that seem to keep their population under control.  This garden ecosystem is my small contribution to our planet, if we put a little effort, Mother Nature will do the rest.      

This week at the DragonFly Garden

I expanded my work area, the trunk from an old coconut tree finally collapsed, a good place to add more storage. 

Hard cut to the Fire Dragon bush

Lately, all my Hibiscuses are producing one flower at a time

It was clean up time for this corner of the garden

One of the three types of lizards residing in the garden

This Monarch caterpillar got lost on the way to a plant and ended up in corner of my front door.