Birds, chimes in the garden provide a feast for the ears

Sound is a seldom-celebrated sensation in the garden, yet one I wouldn't want to be without.

Nature provides the best sounds, with birds singing a never-ending symphony for me when I'm in the garden. All the seed-bearing flowers and berried shrubs planted over the years have paid an extra dividend in attracting an ever-growing variety of birds. A birdbath filled with fresh water and nearby evergreens for protection encourage songbirds to stay.

As I sit quietly weeding or deadheading faded blossoms, the hum of a hummingbird flying just over my head never fails to make me smile.

Although not everyone would agree with me, I also enjoy the near-constant buzzing of insects. To me, it's a soothing background noise. Besides, a garden with insects is a garden with pollinators, food for birds, and beneficial bugs that help control pests.

This time of year, I love to hear the whispering sound made by the tall ornamental grasses as their leaves rustle in the wind. One of my favorites is switch grass, a native prairie grass. I put switch grass to work as a screen for the compost pile and in another place to block a hose reel from view. Growing about 5 feet tall, its dense growth and airy flower spikes do the jobs for which they were intended and provide me with pleasurable sounds, too.

Not all the garden sounds come from nature. We have a collection of wind chimes scattered about our acreage, each with its own special sound. When the wind blows, some chimes tinkle softly, others strike a deeper note. One in particular is so melodic that I often make sure to bump it when I'm nearby, just so I can hear the sound even when the wind isn't blowing.

The sound of water is especially soothing in the garden. Some people have elaborate waterfalls to replicate the sound of a mountain stream, with splashing loud enough to cover less pleasant sounds, such as traffic or barking dogs.

Waterfalls are wonderful, of course, but I also love the soft sound of our two small fountains, each with a recirculating pump. This type of fountain is easy to install and maintain, providing the pleasing sound of water with little hassle.

We need only remember to add more water as the supply evaporates, so we don't accidentally burn out the pumps. We also unplug the fountains at night to avoid attracting raccoons and other animals that might damage them. If we leave on vacation, we either dump the water or add a Mosquito Dunk to keep mosquitoes from breeding while the water isn't circulating.

We drain the fountains for winter, then in spring soak in vinegar any parts that are coated with minerals.