Silkworms in the Garden

At Vancouver Compost Demonstration Garden in Kitsilano, silkworms move quietly through piles of mulberry leaves. Some rest along the branches; others disappear almost completely into the green.

Nearby, their silk cocoons had been gathered and sorted by date. Each one was small, soft and remarkably intricate - the result of a silkworm wrapping itself in a continuous filament produced by its own body. In another display, some of the cocoons had been kept whole and transformed into tiny, hand-drawn earrings.

There was something deeply satisfying about seeing the entire story gathered in one place: the mulberry tree out back, the collected leaves, the living silkworms, the cocoons, and the finished objects.

A small story of patience and quiet transformation, found in a garden.