After inspecting the area around the Nest, Tawny begins organizing a garden project. Tawny asks Roz to clear away dried brambles, weeds, and leaves, and asks moles and groundhogs to loosen the soil by digging through it.

Tawny then makes an unusual request: all the nearby animals should leave their droppings around the Nest to enrich the soil. The request draws many curious woodland creatures, and the gathering becomes lively and friendly. Because the animals come to help, Tawny’s plan to introduce Roz to her neighbors begins to succeed.

Roz walks among the animals and thanks each of them for contributing. Roz explains that she cannot defecate, so the animals’ droppings are especially useful to her garden. The neighbors respond cheerfully, making the work feel festive rather than strange.

Once the soil is fertilized, Tawny takes Roz and Brightbill to a meadow to gather plants. Roz rolls up strips of sod, carries them back to the Nest, and lays them out as a patchy lawn. Roz also transplants wildflowers, clover, berries, shrubs, and herbs around the home.

The finished garden looks rough at first, but Tawny reassures Roz that the grass, flowers, and bushes will grow in. Tawny promises to return and check the plants, confident that the Nest will soon be surrounded by a lovely wild garden.