Tree frogs are really good at hiding.

I must have passed by this tiny guy ten times while I was gardening yesterday and I never noticed him.  I only saw him when I bent down to rearrange another plant in this same pot. He was about the size of my thumbnail.

What I noticed immediately was the way his skin looked like crumpled green tissue paper flecked with black streaks. He was dry, not shiny or slimy like leopard frogs. More like a toad, really. He completely blended in with the bumpy surface of the geranium leaves.

He was also a very patient subject.  I suppose he hoped I’d just go away if he ignored me. I really love those sticky toes! Tree frogs can cling to almost anything with them, which is so cool.

Sometimes that’s my favorite thing about gardening.  When you slow down and really look, there are hidden gems everywhere. No matter how small your own particular piece of turf might be, something wonderful is just waiting for you to discover it.