Farming these mountain foothills on this high desert plot of land has been a journey. We have used the native plants to form our garden beds as the wild hare eat anything new we try to introduced to it, so until recently we have been rather cautious with new plantings.
But this year we reconsidered and built raised and enclosed garden beds for a vegetable garden. Of course a wild hare or two managed to find their way into the beds, that is until the native marigold formed a ring around the garden to protect it. To my wonder, without any help from me, each garden is fully encircled by them.
Not to be ignored, the chicken wire did help to protect, but the marigolds with their pungent smell did the rest.
This unexpected appearance of native plants has occurred several time since we have lived here. One year I found a native Tomatillo plant. These plants look like a miniature version and produce delightful fairy lanterns. Even more exciting was the following year when I found them in mass in my native garden all on their own.
Another delightful plant is the native sunflowers which were planted in the garden by the finches, they have since planted them in the garden at the front gate.
It's a wonder when the native plants appear in the garden, but I think they do go hand in hand with the foreign ones, whether it's the native garden, or the new garden boxes here on the farm...
To wonder where you find it.....
~ Deb
*Last time in barn stories: Tiny Toad
