The sounds a garden makes

In the Garden
Ralph Purkhiser, Purdue University Master Gardener

     I once had a visitor from a city who said the noise in my garden awakened him in the morning.  This person was used to hearing car horns, trains and traffic, but not the sounds of birds, insects and animals.  I, on the other hand, find the sounds of my garden soothing.  A blind friend, who visits often, always lets me know how much he appreciates the fact that the garden can be experienced through the sense of hearing.
    Sound is not just an accident in a garden.  One may design a garden to make the most of the sense of hearing.  One of the best ways is to make the garden friendly to wildlife.  At Sandhill Gardens, I do not use chemical pesticides very often.  Pesticides create havoc in the food chain.  You may not be spraying to kill the birds or frogs, but when you poison the insects they eat, you poison the rest of the food chain.  The other trick is to make the garden a sanctuary for wildlife.  Birds need food, water and shelter, and if you provide these things, they will usually come.  That does not necessarily mean a collection of bird feeders, birdbaths and birdhouses.  In addition to insects, bird consumer fruit and seeds, so include some of their favorites in your landscape plans.  Natural streams and ponds and man-made water features may serve as sources of water.  Just be sure to make a way to keep water available during freezing temperatures.  Shelter may be provided by leaving some dead trees standing and providing dense shrubs and evergreens that provide warm, dry places to which wildlife may retreat.  
     I love rocks, and use them a lot in the garden.  They also are important to wildlife.  All I have to do is move a rock to reveal a whole world of life.  All of these creatures are a part of the food chain and many of them contribute sounds for the garden.  I love the croaking of frogs and toads and the chirping of crickets and other insects.  Such are the sounds of a healthy garden.
     The plants in a garden may also be a source of sound, usually with the help of some wind.  Listen for the wind blowing through tall grasses.  The seed pods of baptisia and other plants also rattle in the wind.  As noted last week, the touch of the gardener’s hand against certain plants will also create sounds.  
     Even the pathways in a garden add to the symphony.  As one walks along a solid pathway, such as concrete or brick, footsteps will produce sounds.  Of course, the sound produced depends on the type of shoes being worn by the visitor.  Crushed stone, on the other hand, produces creaks underfoot.  The sounds of footsteps on mulch, grass and other soft materials are subtle, but still add to the total experience.
     Water is another source of sound.  The rush of falling water is often used to drown out the sound of a busy street.  The trickle of a small fountain will offer a soothing sound.  Even rain brings sound to the garden as raindrops hit stone, metal, glass and plants.  I have a rain chain on one downspout, and the trickle of water down the chain produces a very pleasant sound.
     Windchimes and windharps also are popular garden accessories.  While some natural purists do not like including such ornaments in the garden, I must admit that I love the windchimes in my garden.  I am especially fond of the larger ones that produce deep sounds, reminiscent of church bells.  I also love the clacking of bamboo chimes.  I do not have a windharp, but I have longed for one for many years.  
     My garden is the place I prefer to entertain guests.  No party is complete without music.  I often have music playing as I work in the garden, but, even more, I love to play music in the garden.  The gazebo is a great venue for a jam session with friends, with the sounds of the garden in the background.  Add a cool breeze and a fire in the firepit, and you have my idea of a near-perfect evening.

 

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