“Garden Visitors”, a copyrighted post, was written for my WordPress blog called Always Growing by Jan in Covington, Louisiana
I had two garden visitors today. One ordinary and one not so ordinary. We have been having many bumble bees but not too many honey bees. We all know about the problems the little honey bee has been having lately. I noticed one honey bee on the magnolia blossom. Maybe there are more around.
The other visitor was a box turtle. I was watering the Iceberg roses when I saw something at the base. At first, I thought it was a toad since it was in the shadows. I was glad to see this little turtle because the Louisiana box turtle has been having problems because of habitat loss and their being collected and sold as pets (until the legislature passed a law in 1999 stopping this). Occasionally we have seen a rather large turtle around, but this one was only about four inches long. Is this why the slugs do not seem so plentiful this year?
I worked in the entry garden today cleaning the holly ferns. I couldn’t believe that I had two garbage cans of dead fronds. I think next year I might just wack them back to the ground. Some are three feet tall and too large to dig out, but they are getting too big for the space. Even though I was in the shade, it was HOT. I don’t know if I will be working in the garden in July (even in the early morning). I hope to finish the sprucing up of the garden before then.
Always Growing 
Jane Marie said,
June 3, 2008 at 6:10 pm
I want a turtle so badly to show up. I found one once and put it in the pond. He left. I guess there are footloose and fancy free.
Jan said,
June 3, 2008 at 6:46 pm
The bigger turtle, I mentioned above, would show up about once or twice a year. I hadn’t seen it in about three years when it showed up last year, and I have seen it twice this year already. This is the third one I’ve seen this year though with all the plants around, they may be around more than I know. It is neat to come upon one among the plants and flowers.
Nancy said,
June 3, 2008 at 8:06 pm
Ah. I need a turtle in my yard!
Jan said,
June 4, 2008 at 5:29 am
Yes, Nancy, everyone needs a turle in her garden.
Phillip said,
June 4, 2008 at 12:33 pm
I have one in my garden that I see from time to time. It has been around for years (if it is the same one, not sure). I’m always alarmed when I see him especially if I’m down on hands and knees weeding. I usually think it is a snake which I’m afraid of.
Jan said,
June 4, 2008 at 3:32 pm
I’m lucky, Phillip, in that I usually hear them before I see them. As they crawl through the mulch and the dry leaves, they sound like a bird or something scratching around. So, I am not startled by them, but I’m sure if I didn’t hear them first, I would be.