In the Garden with Pat Rubin

Bee garden writer Pat Rubin writes about everything that grows, from flowers and trees to vegetables and lawns. Pat volunteered for several years as a Placer County Master Gardener and has written about gardening for many national and regional publications. In addition to gardening, she spends time raising and showing miniature horses and miniature donkeys.

In the Garden will include news, events, advice and other gardening tidbits. Pat will also answer reader questions.

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September 20, 2007

The sounds of wind through the leaves

I was riding my bicycle along the trail around Lake Natoma one windy evening recently, and what caught my eye, and my ear, was the sound of tree leaves.

The dry, dead leaves still hanging on the California buckeye bushes rattled noisily and dryly in the wind. They seemed to be warning passersby that fall is coming soon. The leaves of the poplars quivered melodiously. The wind catches their leaves and causes them to turn back and forth to reveal both sides. The winds swept noisily through the oaks, hardly moving their study leaves at all. The winds blew easily through the pines, causing the needles to sway and move.

At home, I noticed the wind slipped through the ferny black walnut leaves, but really rustled around in the chestnut tree as well as the fig.

Until now, I’ve always noticed the scent and shape of plants in the garden, but never thought of the noises of plants. Next windy day, take a moment to listen to the sound of the wind and leaves.

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