Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Plan B…

front bed container

Remember, when I posted an update on the bed in front of the house? I showed my new pot, crammed full of ‘deer resistant’ plants.

front bed container 2

Lots of variegated plants, with strong fragrance, or poisonous qualities. Oregano, plectanthus, helichrysum, and that lovely ‘diamond frost euphorbia.

front bed container 3 after deer

Well….this is what it looked like, after a nighttime raid by a deer. The oregano is GONE…..the plectanthus is chomped off….the euphorbia, with that sticky ‘dangerous’ latex sap, is chomped right down to the nub. The helichrysum was not chomped…just pulled up, and left to die a slow death.

So much for ‘Deer Resistant’.

front bed container redo

So, here is Plan B. From experience, I know the deer pretty much leave these alone……Dusty Miller and Periwinkle. I’m not sure why. The Periwinkle does have a strong odor, but so does oregano. The Dusty Miller has fuzzy leaves, but that doesn’t always stop them.

I don’t like it as much, but maybe, just maybe they’ll leave it alone. I put wire down, so maybe that will make them harder to pull up.

This gardening with deer, is the Never Ending Story.

agave bucket

On a happier note…..Our neighbor, Elli, is having some work done in her yard. They cleaned up the bed by her mail box. She called and asked if I’d like some agaves. Free Plants!? Of course!!! I rushed right over.

agave box

So, now I have ‘some’ agaves. These are a. lophantha. What you see here, is not all that was removed. The landscaper took some, and another neighbor took some. And, they returned three or four to the bed. And, it does look a lot better.

a lophantha

I’m told, all that came from one small plant…like the one, above, in the remodeled front bed.

Now this one will have company. Some will go in the Rock Bed. Some will go in a side bed. Some will go to our daughter-in-law. And, since these agaves are so prolific….I’ll be cleaning out in a few years.

Don’t you just love it, when a gardening friend cleans out a bed, and wants to share the bounty?

Happy Gardening…

~~Linda…

8 comments:

  1. Hi, Linda ~ Dealing with deer has got to be so frustrating. I am just dealing with a little rabbit who nibbles.
    I like your new agaves. Free plants are always good.
    Enjoy gardening, too!

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  2. Little devils keep you on your toes don't they. D left our gate open the other day and one came it. Luckily I was there and I screamed. He left in a big hurry. They pull agaves out to so that won't work. I love when I get free plants. The gogo is great for that. I hope you have better luck with your new planting.

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  3. Blankety blank. I've never heard of deer eating oregano!

    We've found artemesias to be foolproof and the silvery foliage is a nice foil.

    There is so much food around now, the deer 'shouldn't' be eating your flowerbeds!

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  4. Oh, I do hope you have better luck with your second planting of supposedly deer-resistant plants. I love Agave lophantha...I have one in my garden that produces many pups for me.

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  5. Good morning,
    Well...so far, they've left the pot alone. I found a couple agaves pulled up, on this morning's garden walk. I put them back. Might have to put a guard around them, until they root.

    There's a doe in the Deer Grove, with twins. More little mouths to feed.

    Oh, Deer......

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  6. Linda, I feel your pain! When we returned from our trip, I found my roses, strawberries, etc. eaten by a deer. Those creatures know when house is empty! But it looks like your deer was more hungry than my deer if it ate those not-so-sweet plants!
    I share your joy of getting free plants! I got some yuccas from my friend. I think, we have some balance here, don't you think so (bad thing -deer/good thing -free plants)?

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  7. I do remember that planter. I hope they leave the newest plants alone. I just found out that we do actually have deer very near to our house, I guess we're lucky they haven't decided to venture to our neighborhood.
    What a great gift from your neighbor!

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  8. The first pot was truly lovely, but I think the second pot is equally beautiful. I love dusty miller, and in fact, was thinking about adding old-fashioned periwinkles again this year. I adore them and they adore the heat.

    Yahoosers on free agaves. That spiky one is especially gorgeous.

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I love your comments. Thanks for dropping by.

This is a word verification free blog. It seems to be working out, so far.

~~Linda...