You might not think of your garden as a lively place but if you look and listen you will find there is a veritable party going on out there. The flowers brighten the view but the pollinators bring the garden to life. At first you might think this 
little Sphinx Moth is a bee; then you might think it a wee hummingbird but then you realize it is a very friendly and busy moth. If you stand very still, the sphinx moth will let you watch from a very close vantage point.
The first stage of many pollinators is a little quieter – caterpillars move quietly along the leaves of your garden munching as they go – sometimes inflicting substantial damage. The reward of beautiful butterflies and moths makes up for the inconvenience of some slightly denuded plants. This little fellow will soon be a Swallowtail butterfly – first eating the pla
nt, then pollinating so that seeds will be sown for next years plants and flowers.
Everyone needs a little bit of green to stay connected with nature and the earth. Even in some of the most impossible or improbable places with limited water and sun, gardens bloom. This series of gardens is in a tiny alley that serves as the front yard for a number of homes in Ansouis, France. Does that tree survive out of plain tenacity or is it that the people tend to the gardens and enjoy them? Whether in a pot, a planter, a hole in the pavement, a small bed or the back 40 acres, gardens are wonderful, personal spaces that keep you in touch with nature and reward you with beauty.
