Comments on: Oh deer… http://blog.blithewold.org/gardens/oh-deer/ a garden journal about public garden maintenance, seasonal tasks, garden events, stories about gardening, volunteers, flowers, bugs and wildlife Sat, 25 May 2013 00:22:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Maggie Bresnahan http://blog.blithewold.org/gardens/oh-deer/comment-page-1/#comment-5780 Maggie Bresnahan Mon, 06 Apr 2009 13:48:22 +0000 http://www.blithewold.org/blog/?p=2060#comment-5780 My mother(Mary Philbrick)loved deer. I used to too until I woke up yesterday to find that they had eaten the beautiful blue/yellow violas I had planted in her memory. Needless to say I don't think I love them so much anymore knowing just how close they are coming to my house. I used to think my flowers were pretty safe, I guess I need to plan accordingly now. It's a good thing I love cone flowers. By the way, I will be bringing more of those violas for the garden at Blithwald. Hopefully you will be able to find a little spot for them for Mary. Keep an eye on my dad for me. I'm hoping to help him plant tomatos again this year. <em>Maggie, We all miss Mary madly and will look forward to your visit - it's funny that she loved deer, the rascals. And I suspect that Dick will have so much help in the vegetable bed this year, he won't get a moment to himself! (No worries.) -kris</em> My mother(Mary Philbrick)loved deer. I used to too until I woke up yesterday to find that they had eaten the beautiful blue/yellow violas I had planted in her memory. Needless to say I don’t think I love them so much anymore knowing just how close they are coming to my house. I used to think my flowers were pretty safe, I guess I need to plan accordingly now. It’s a good thing I love cone flowers. By the way, I will be bringing more of those violas for the garden at Blithwald. Hopefully you will be able to find a little spot for them for Mary. Keep an eye on my dad for me. I’m hoping to help him plant tomatos again this year.

Maggie, We all miss Mary madly and will look forward to your visit – it’s funny that she loved deer, the rascals. And I suspect that Dick will have so much help in the vegetable bed this year, he won’t get a moment to himself! (No worries.) -kris

]]> By: Layanee http://blog.blithewold.org/gardens/oh-deer/comment-page-1/#comment-5686 Layanee Thu, 02 Apr 2009 11:50:57 +0000 http://www.blithewold.org/blog/?p=2060#comment-5686 The deer are a beautiful nuisance. Will bring deer spray but I have found that they will eat anything if they are really hungry and tulips...like candy! I am thinking of fencing but this is a big yard. <em>Layanee, It's amazing to me that you still think they're beautiful... It's true though. How does the deer spray work in all this rain? -kris</em> The deer are a beautiful nuisance. Will bring deer spray but I have found that they will eat anything if they are really hungry and tulips…like candy! I am thinking of fencing but this is a big yard.

Layanee, It’s amazing to me that you still think they’re beautiful… It’s true though. How does the deer spray work in all this rain? -kris

]]> By: Susan Sims http://blog.blithewold.org/gardens/oh-deer/comment-page-1/#comment-5598 Susan Sims Mon, 30 Mar 2009 21:46:23 +0000 http://www.blithewold.org/blog/?p=2060#comment-5598 I remember reading in Garden Design or some such rage about a woman in Santa Barbara that actually turned her garden into a wildlife preserve. She said that she planted some roses specifically for the deer to eat! She's banned her gardeners from using power tools and the like. The weird thing was that you would think her garden would look scrappy and eaten over. On the contrary, her garden looked like a bit of a Californian Eden. Weird! I don't have deer trouble, so I don't know how this works, but I had to admire her for her moxy and good luck. <em>Susan, I would expect a ravaged look to a garden like that too - because that's the woe we hear about in deer infested gardens. There's not a lot we can do to discourage the deer - except they really don't love being on the property when there are visitors - so I think we'll just have to learn to live with some grazing and focus on how beautiful the grounds are despite that! -kris</em> I remember reading in Garden Design or some such rage about a woman in Santa Barbara that actually turned her garden into a wildlife preserve. She said that she planted some roses specifically for the deer to eat! She’s banned her gardeners from using power tools and the like. The weird thing was that you would think her garden would look scrappy and eaten over. On the contrary, her garden looked like a bit of a Californian Eden. Weird!

I don’t have deer trouble, so I don’t know how this works, but I had to admire her for her moxy and good luck.

Susan, I would expect a ravaged look to a garden like that too – because that’s the woe we hear about in deer infested gardens. There’s not a lot we can do to discourage the deer – except they really don’t love being on the property when there are visitors – so I think we’ll just have to learn to live with some grazing and focus on how beautiful the grounds are despite that! -kris

]]> By: Lynn http://blog.blithewold.org/gardens/oh-deer/comment-page-1/#comment-5556 Lynn Mon, 30 Mar 2009 03:33:34 +0000 http://www.blithewold.org/blog/?p=2060#comment-5556 Knock wood we don't have trouble with deer, rabbits, or much else but the average bug. Our neighbors have a gorgeous garden on about twice the land we have, and don't seem to suffer losses on their hostas and such, though they burlap their tender shrubs after the hard year a while back when I guess the deer were really hard up. In the 6 years he's been here growing lots of tomatoes mostly, my honey has never seen a deer in the yard or had anything eaten. In Ithaca though they have support groups for deer pressure ;) <em>I love the support group thought. We know one gardener here who has pretty much given up - she says the deer just stare at her and keep munching while she shouts and waves her arms. It's lucky that they've stayed away from your tomates - and I bet they stay well away now that you have Buddy on patrol! -kris</em> Knock wood we don’t have trouble with deer, rabbits, or much else but the average bug. Our neighbors have a gorgeous garden on about twice the land we have, and don’t seem to suffer losses on their hostas and such, though they burlap their tender shrubs after the hard year a while back when I guess the deer were really hard up. In the 6 years he’s been here growing lots of tomatoes mostly, my honey has never seen a deer in the yard or had anything eaten. In Ithaca though they have support groups for deer pressure ;)

I love the support group thought. We know one gardener here who has pretty much given up – she says the deer just stare at her and keep munching while she shouts and waves her arms. It’s lucky that they’ve stayed away from your tomates – and I bet they stay well away now that you have Buddy on patrol! -kris

]]> By: gail http://blog.blithewold.org/gardens/oh-deer/comment-page-1/#comment-5554 gail Sun, 29 Mar 2009 18:47:34 +0000 http://www.blithewold.org/blog/?p=2060#comment-5554 They came calling last fall and even slept in the garden..it was very safe back there...when they left one day to forage... I remembered to shut the gates! They haven't been back since, but when their favorite bur oak acorns arrive they will! gail <em>Gail, Yours is probably the finest B&B around! Is your fence 8' tall or are the deer just very respectful of your privacy? -kris</em> They came calling last fall and even slept in the garden..it was very safe back there…when they left one day to forage… I remembered to shut the gates! They haven’t been back since, but when their favorite bur oak acorns arrive they will! gail

Gail, Yours is probably the finest B&B around! Is your fence 8′ tall or are the deer just very respectful of your privacy? -kris

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