Nature at work...mosses and lichens, arthropods, squirrels, and snakes...this is habitat central!

Deciduos woodland is wonderful to walk trough, love to take in the smells of decaying leaves and timber, And walking through the leaves is always a treat,

~When we were at Kew on Saturday there were logs etc piled up and a notice
saying that it is beneficial to leave rotting wood and that 15% of British flora and fauna depends on it~quite a lot!

Yes I agree FF...it's an aroma unlike any other...much like the wonderful smell in a greenhouse...but with a musty undertone! I mulch all my leaves every spring and use it on my gardens...leaf mould is gold!! that log in the foreground was standing for the longest time..then it lost it's top and next highwind...THUMP! over it went! We had woodpeckers drumming away last fall..it was great to hear the rat-a-tat-tat...I don't know who owns this piece of bushland but I would like to send them a love note! it is so great to walk through it. Finally we are becoming aware how much we owe to nature and how much we can give back if we only give it some thought! Great that Kew is spreading the word...

I can just imagine that mossy fungus smell too Lori - were the leaves all crinkly underfoot??

Leaf detritis is a carpet unlike any other! it smells wonderful and in the sunlight it warms on top but protects the soil beneath from drying winds and direct heat...It's the natural mulch and it works so well..the natural home of spiders, salamanders, frogs, centipedes, sow bugs and earthworms. . I'm really encouraged that an institution like Kew Gardens is talking about "British flora and fauna".