Daisy the Curly Cat asked if we have any lizards at Rosehaven Cottage. Well, I am pleased to inform Daisy that we do! Daisy loves lizards but does not like alligators. Fortunately, we don't have alligators here in No. California. Whew!The lizards at Rosehaven Cottage are very stealthy creatures. Although, our wild garden kitty Oreo has caught one or two. Tom Tom caught one a month or so ago. My husband saw Tom Tom on the porch while I was gardening (Tom Tom only goes out when I'm out). Hubby found me in the garden and said, "Tom Tom has some big insect in his mouth." Well, I went to investigate and found that Tom Tom was finishing off the last of a lizard that he'd been eating. We called Tom Tom "Lizard Breath" for the next couple of days after that.
Because the lizards are very stealthy, I rarely get an opportunity to photograph them. That said, I have been fortunate to get the two photographs featured here just so Daisy can enjoy them.Lizards are fairly easy to attract to one's garden if one takes the steps to do so. I wanted that at Rosehaven Cottage so I researched what I needed to do in my backyard wildlife habitat. Lizards love rock piles and stones with niches between them. So that's why we've provided lots of those around the garden. The lizards in the Rosehaven Cottage gardens love the planters that I've constructed out of chunks of recycled concrete [see photo below].
In the evening right before sunset, I have been privileged to watch a lizard come out on the flat rocks around the edge of the pond and hunt for insects. It was fascinating to watch! In fact, just yesterday as I sat by the pond feeding the fish, a lizard came out on the same rock on the pond's edge. It must be the "hunting rock" [see photo below]. They are great friends to have in the garden because they eat a lot of the bugs I don't want around my produce.
Lizards also need a source of water that is easy to get to so I provided little drippers as part of the irrigation system that are low to the ground which both water the garden produce and provide water for the lizards. The waterfall in the pond is also very gentle as it pours over long flat rocks so the lizards can get a sip there [see photo below]. The little birds like it too.
WOWIE! You have some great lizards in your garden. It makes me very happy that you made a habitat that was good for them. I am noticing that California lizards look a little bit different than Florida lizards. I might need to do another lizard analysis...
ReplyDeleteps: Is it wrong that I am drooling, just a little bit?
No, Daisy, drooling it okay. Tom Tom and Oreo do worse than that!
ReplyDeleteWe've been sweltering all day from the heat. We're just not used to temps over 80!
ReplyDeleteLizards are so cool! Wish I had some in my garden.
ReplyDeleteGood thing I can come here to watch some :)
I actually miss the snakes from a house we rented last year. They were so interesting to watch, and I was told that there were a lot of rats before the snakes moved in, so I appreciated their presence immensely.
ReplyDeleteThe house we are moving into now (to rent) has a lot of empty dirt space. If I have the time and means I would certainly love to transform it into something attractive to wildlife.
Cindy, I think it's great that you live in harmony with nature, and share your knowledge, as well! And, I'll take lizards over spiders, any day....
ReplyDelete