The Beauty In Chaos

So, you may or may not have noticed, but unfortunately I have been a bit absent lately and lacking on these articles. Unfortunately theres been a snowball of surgeries and illnesses. This has also led to a very neglected garden.

The other day was the first time I've been able to get out there and in amongst the chaos and neglect, and I found something beautiful and surprising.
The ecosystem of my yard has thrived! From within the ashes has risen a wonderfully diverse phoenix.

There has been an explosion of baby praying mantis, I found at least six of these tiny cuties, meandering safely through the dry remains of my deceased calendula.

Praying mantis are highly beneficial in a garden, and they are amazing predators, eating things like caterpillars, aphids, flies, and beetles. This helps reduce the need for those horrible chemicals. Praying mantis are easy to attract to your garden, because they love wild and uncultivated!

Have you ever seen these things around the place? They are mantid egg cases, and can have up to 200 eggs inside!

The skinks, of various different varieties, have also formed new colonies, skittering around the old daffodil and mulberry leaves.

(Just a portion of the neglected patch, after some very minor pruning.)

I know I talk about the native bees a lot, but they have had a massive boom this season! The aurifrons babies from last season have hatched and come back to make nests of their own. There's numerous other megachile species, blue banded's, and several masked bees and some that I have yet to identify! 

Along with the bee boom, there has also been a drastic increase in the parasitic wasp numbers! This was to be expected though, as these little fiends lay their babies where the native bees have laid theirs.

Several other types of wasps, moths and beetles seem to have moved in but have yet to be identified.

The native kingfishers also seem to have become visitors, along with more 28 parrots, doves, pink and greys and a family of magpies.

Did you know that Australia has about 10 species of native kingfishers. The most well known being our laughing kookaburra.

The above little friend appears to be a Sacred Kingfisher, although confirmation is still in process.

In this day and age, I know there is a lot of social pressure and emphasis places on having a perfect garden, well manicured and maintained but who dictates this, and why? I cleaned mine up a bit and I've already noticed the difference, and not in a good way.

By letting our gardens become more 'wild' (and I am not saying overgrown or where you need a map and a compass to get to your front door), we are opening the world back up to nature. We are allowing the other animals to stand a chance! We are supporting biodiversity, creating habitats and allowing the food chain to do its thing and be its own pest control. We're enhancing soil health, and, in each individual way, helping to combat climate change.

So even if it's just a small patch, try not using chemicals, ease up on that pruning, and strict routine of maintenance, just, let it be. Even if it's just a sliver, give back to the other creatures on this planet, and allow them to have a chance.

Let your gardens be wild, I can honestly say, I think it was the best thing I'd done for mine.

Happy reduced gardening everyone, and remember, there is beauty in chaos.