One wouldn’t think there is much of interest along Creston’s back alleys. However, to me, there appears to be something for everyone. Compared to many communities, I think Creston’s alleys would rate pretty high, though they have much the same items and aspects as other communities. Of alleys in Creston, there aren’t many and the longest is probably about two blocks. Features range from well-kept grass areas to grass interspersed with sow thistle, almost as tall as I am and doing what comes naturally. Then there are neatly stacked piles of lumber for that anticipated building project to burn piles, shrubs to tall trees, and fenced yards to non-fenced yards.

At one place patiently rested a very old looking late 1930s model two-door coupe waiting for someone to bring it back to life. A striking feature for me were several large bush or briar-type roses, including the old large-flowered red rose variety that always seems to smell like a real rose. A bit of Texas appears at one location in the form of a yellow rose, Harrison’s rose or something like it, otherwise known at the “yellow rose of Texas”, with a distinct fragrance and an interesting history. Check it out. It is one of my two favourite fragrant roses.

Another feature that stood out were well arranged and well looked after raised garden beds. Using raised garden beds seems a great way to avoid backbreaking effort, to control weeds and have an approach to gardening that seems almost novel. Close by was a variety of spiked spirea with branches heavily laden with white flowers. At another location, large clumps of dug daylilies sat leaning against a fence waiting for a friend to replant.

Many alley side yards appeared more colourful and ornate than their corresponding street side landscapes. It seems like people have made good use of their backyard in the way of creating pleasant and useful surroundings. Wildlife, as well as people, have made good use of alley side venues and, in doing so, adapted well to town life.

Along one alley stand 100-foot Douglas firs that not only provide shelter and nesting sites for birds that come to the feeders but provide the same for birds that prey on the birds that visit your feeder. It is not uncommon for American kestrels and merlins, both falcons, to take up permanent residence along a tall-treed alley. An alley’s seclusion and sometimes somewhat natural aspects seem to meet their preferences.

Some other tall trees I noted in some of the alleys were birch, maple and willow. But there were also elms and even catalpa trees. A common barrier between the backyard and the alley were tall board fences. However, thick hedgerows of tall shrubs served a twofold purpose as a visual and physical barrier and as a habitat for small wildlife.

But tall board fences are not barriers to every resident and traveller of back alleys. The back alleys are travel corridors for large wildlife like deer, coyotes and bear, and are also quiet avenues for nighttime passing cougar and bobcat, who make hurdling a tall board fence look easy as they flee a doorstep where they have been sampling cat or dog food. Raccoons also check out the pet dishes, while great horned owls hoot from the tops of tall Douglas fir trees. Here we have a bit of the back alley’s nightlife.

Some back alleys divide landscapes that differ greatly in elevation. Sixty-year-old rock walls, looking much older scattered with mosses and lichens, shore up ground on the upper side of the alley. Falls of white flowers of rock cresses and snow-in-summer drape the weathered rock faces.

A saunter along a back alley is probably not an event many of you have experienced. What one can experience is perhaps a bit of life like it really is. If you want a change from an early morning street walk, try a route that takes in a couple of back alleys where there is little traffic and see, from only the alley, of course, the fruit of peoples’ gardening gifts.

Ed McMackin is a biologist by profession but a naturalist and hiker by nature. He can be reached at 250-866-5747.