Imagine being told to establish a thriving garden on dead wood. Could you do it? How long would it take you? Most gardeners would say, “You’re crazy, it can’t be done.”
I used to think it would be impossible to grow a garden without soil. Yet in the wild world of lichens, they do grow on dead surfaces, all on their own. Here’s a nice website if you’d like to learn more about lichens.
Lichens use their little spores to spread out on dead surfaces. They grow at a pace so slow, you can’t even see it happening. They just seem to suddenly appear.
One could speculate that lichens would be among the last inhabitants to succumb on a dying earth at some distant point in the future. – Stephen L. Stephenson
Lichen is fungi, or as I call them, plain old funky fungi. Fungi is gross in a way, but then again, it is fascinating when you look at it close up.
On the north side of our fence is a little lichen garden growing along the fence line. I didn’t have to do anything to help this garden grow, it is doing it on its own. It is the lowest maintenance garden around my yard. I love gardens that don’t require work on my part.
Since I didn’t plant this garden, I have no recollection as to when it started. Now that it is there, I don’t have the heart to remove it. It adds some character and color to the fence line.
Hope you enjoyed my close up and personal view of my private little lichen garden! Day 5 – EverydayAdventures2017 – Garden photos!
