Waiting for the birth of my....new perennial bed!!

Last fall I decided that I was sick of being afraid of the deer. I was sick of being the victim to their appetites and grazing whims. I was downright tired of spending money and planting gardens for their dinner. For a good number of years, I let my gardens go wild and whatever came up, came up. What came up was a lot of weeds and poison ivy and an oregano plant gone wild. Herbs gone wild!

Last fall, after discovering the mighty powers (and odor) or Milorganite, the deer have been kept at bay...well, as long as I remember to put it down in the beds. I planted a mostly perennial garden on a rocky slope near the pool and I'll fill it in this spring and summer with flowering annuals. We've figured out the grazing pattern of our neighborhood deer and mended a few fences they seem to walk over. Hopefully they'll stay on the outer edges of our property now.

I'm the best at picking out new plants. Usually I pick based on what's on sale or what looks neglected. I'm a sucker for those weepy plants in the corner that look like they need a home. Most of the hostas and lilies in my yard are garden gifts from my family. The hostas were Gramma. The lilies were from Dad, but were originally from Gramma. The roses were inspired by my mother's love of roses. This year, I'm going to spot the hillside by the street with rooted cuttings of forsythias from my gramma's then from dad's. The bee balm, coreopsis and yellow primrose are from my aunt, who got most of her plants from a neighbor. I can't wait to grow my plants large enough to share!

Enlarging gardens here is a slow process. Digging new beds here isn't possible with all the shale in the yard. Thar's shale in them hills! If I want a new bed, I have to bring in topsoil. I'm determined though. This is the year of the garden! Hmm...I wonder if the deer are thinking that, too...




Want to see a great garden site? Check out my friend Arevanye's garden!