Above and below is a poorly done collage of the garden along the bank of the lake, I had to crop it into two pictures in order for it to be seen better. I labeled what is planted and where it is planted....or was planted. Click on each of the photos to see the various colors matched with the names of what is planted. The big pink triangle below is 10 Muhly Grass babies. I am planning for big color next year. At the far right, ciricled in yellow are Miscanthus, I think it is Morning Light. (for some reason I can't find that plant label) Also kind of difficult to see below are some Elephant Ears. I planted four.
This is what I found--
This is what I should have seen--
This is where the missing plant USED to be. Today is was worse. To date I am missing two Knock-out Rose bushes and two Loropetalum. There have also been other roses and loropetalum nibbled on. Deer repellent was purchased and applied this afternoon. Rotten bastards.
I have not decided what I will do to restore the balance of the flanked stone steps. I know deer will eat whatever they want, was hoping the tastier items were not in their sites. I also was amazed that the entire plant was gone. Maybe it was the beaver...he has been active lately according to neighbors.
Either way, deer or beaver, I was warned. I know. Ok, my yard from hence forth will smell of putrid eggs. Ok?
One plant the bank has, deer willing, is the Fragrant Sumac, Rhus aromatica 'Gro-low'. Right now it is three little sprigs along the bank behind the flagstone. It is supposed to spread about 8 feet and get up to 2 feet tall. Great for stabilizing slopes and doesn't mind clay soil --win/win. I love the fall color--red!
words and photos by Janet,The Queen of Seaford.
Janet,
ReplyDeleteLast winter I had a gallon camellia pulled right out of the ground, deer for sure. Making them quite the feeding lot there. Maybe you should read Cameron's blog as she plants mostly deer proof plants. I have a neighbor who set up a motion activated sprinkler to scare away the deer it works well for them.
All joking aside I can see a wonderful garden there in no time.
I have Lo-Gro and love it! I believe it is pretty deer resistant. Mine is more like 3 feet tall and it can get gangly but a good grower in shade or sun, dry or moist. I think if I gardened with deer I'd be thinking some very deer resistant woodland type plants-those Knockouts are supposed to be favorites. The grass should be good though. Total bummer on losing newly planted shrubs. Maybe fence them in until they get established?
ReplyDeleteMaybe the neighbors have been active and are using the beaver as a cover story...
ReplyDeleteI feel for you Janet but I don't have any advice. I've been lucky enough to never live where I had problems with deer. I guess I would learn pretty fast what they don't like tho. I hope you can find a way to deter them. Your plan looks great ~ it would be nice to see it come to life.
ReplyDeleteGood grief! I suppose deer-proof electrified fence is out of the question? ;-) The planting plan looks lovely, good luck finding some deer-proof plants to replace the lost. The price of all that wonderful wildlife I suppose...
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting my blog - I've added you to my blogroll so that I can follow your deer battles in detail!
Ugh, sorry to hear you are having deer problems. I agree with Randy, I'd head over to Cameron's blog and try to replace the missing plants with ones deer don't like.
ReplyDeleteYou have a beautiful situation there!
Janet I'm so sorry to hear that the deer are literally pulling the plants right out of the ground. Ours don't usually do that - just munch on everything they think I planted just for them in one big salad bar. As far as lists of plants they don't like? I've found that different deer like different things. Some people swear they won't touch something but in my yard they do. So go figure. We've found that 'Liquid Fence' has worked the best for us and is 100% guaranteed. They still come around so we can enjoy watching them but they pick up the pace as they walk through our property. Good luck I know it's so discouraging!
ReplyDeletejanet, deer are a huge problem for us as well. even many of the plants cameron and others recommend are not deer safe in our garden. so far hellebores, daffodils, chrysanthemums and most herbs are the only garden plants that havent had any deer damage. i will say i have never had a deer completely uproot and eat an entire plant! i hope you are able to find the culprit and put a stop to it soon.
ReplyDeleteJanet,
ReplyDeleteThe shore garden will be beautiful!
Oh, I'm sorry! Yes, they love loropetalum until it is above their reach (I had to use an edging fence around it while it was young). I have one that I prune with a tree trunk for that reason and this is the first year that it is tall enough to be out of reach and LOADED with blooms! The other one is inside the fence...along with KO roses. As you noticed, on their menu.
My salvia greggii 'Dark Dancer' are spectacular this fall (and in spring). They will be evergreen in your zone, too. If you get enough sun for miscanthus and roses, you have enough sun for the salvia. That's my "outside the fence" substitute for roses. There are other colors, but that's my favorite deep rose color that is a great companion for pink muhly.
The osmanthus fragrans are so fragrant right now that they just about knock us over. Great evergreen shrub that can handle shaping and deer ignore.
I have great luck with the I MUST GARDEN RABBIT REPELLENT, so I think you'd be happy with the deer version (that I've not tried, but others say is great).
The deer don't eat my shasta daisies 'Broadway Lights' and 'Paladin' nor any of my mums. They are on/off with rudbeckia, but the bunnies eat those.
Hi Janet. Those pesky deers can be such a pain.I think they will eat anything when they are hungry.I have to keep my lilies sprayed all summer. This time of the year they will come right up to the house and eat off anything left in my flower pots and beds. It is so frustrating and who can afford to feed them rose bushes, etc. I am sorry to hear they are doing so much damage to your new plantings.
ReplyDeleteYour garden plan looks like it will be beautiful.
Good luck. I'm so, so, so glad the deer around here don't seem to like our yard.
ReplyDeleteHi Janet, Your garden will be so lovely spilling down towards the lake. I guess we just have to plant what our neighboring critters do not like to eat. Only rabbits will eat everything. I will have to head over to Cameron's blog too to see about the rabbit repellent. Once you have many plants established that they do not care for, you could sneak in some they enjoy nibbling. Maybe they will not see them then. Right now your plantings look like candy to the deer I imagine. You have a lovely setting there! Best of luck! ;>)
ReplyDeleteHi Janet, it all looks great, but too bad about those dadburn deer! I hope you can figure something out to protect your plants from those thieves. The muhly will be fabulous.
ReplyDeleteFrances
Janet,I am so sorry you were robbed by those stinkers! When you figure out what to plant there it's going to be a spectacular view from the house and water! Planting the most deer resistant plants will be the key to your happiness. Salvias are marvelous and there are many others.... Good luck...gail
ReplyDeleteOh dear, this has to be so frustrating, Janet! I hope you can find something more deer-resistant to replace these plants, but I know it won't be the same as what you had planned for this area. Hmmm, I wonder what plants are beaver-resistant, too.
ReplyDeleteThose darn deer! Hope the repellants work well for you. I love the plan. :)
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about your giant rat problem.
ReplyDeleteI can imagine your anger. I have felt the same way when elk rip out my stuff. I thought of many colorful words for them as well.
ReplyDeleteMaybe once things get established, they will just nibble and it will survive. I wish you luck!
Hi Randy, yes, I realize the deer will eat most anything. I did read through Cameron's blog's deer posts, as well as extension publications on plants that are less desired by deer. Just makes me frustrated.
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks, I see marvelous things next year.
Hi Tina, I am glad to hear you like Lo-Gro..hope mine isn't more than 2 feet tall. Looking for more spread than height. I do know that Knockout Roses are high on their list of goodies...just wanted a little color. Too big of an area to fence in.
Hi Phillip, ha ha good one. I will give them a closer look.
Hi Kathleen, this is my first experience with deer. I do have a good list of plants, just need to make my choices. Glad you like the plan.
Hi Janet, an electric fence is, unfortunately, out of the question. Yes, tis the price of living with wildlife.
hi Sweetbay, yes, did head over to Cameron's. We do like our area...deer and all.
Hi Linda, I think because they are newly planted the plants are easier to pull out of the ground. Have tried a Liquid Fence type product in granular form....not too smelly. Will use the liquid next.
Hi Daricia, yes, deer are a hassle. I do want to plant more Hellebores...my herbs I keep on the deck (males dogs).
Hi Cameron, thanks! It is funny that Loropetalum is on the list of seldom eaten plants...go figure. I do like the various Salvia greggii...will look for them in the spring, keeping Dark Dancer in mind. I did plant five Osmanthus fragrans along with five wax myrtle. I did explore more of your lists....great plant ideas.
Hi Lona, I haven't had the deer come up to the house....yet. I just won't replace the Knockouts with more of the same.
Hi Victoria, you are lucky to have no deer.
Hi Carol, great way to describe it. Yes, I will have to make a better list. Good plan on sneaking some plants later on. Many thanks.
Hi Frances, yes, those deer are a pain. I do have you to thank for planting the idea of Muhly grass.
Hi Gail, I am bummed to have been robbed by those creatures for sure. We are thrilled by our views. Salvia will be on our list.
Hi Rose, frustrating to be sure. My husband said the only thing for beaver is a shotgun. ugh!
Hi Racquel, thanks!
Hi Les, truly.
Hi Rosey, I think elk would be a bigger problem! I can imagine some very colorful words for them.