I’m Experiencing A Love-Hate Relationship This Spring With The Local Wildlife!
It’s my favorite time of year—spring. All the flowering trees, shrubs, and perennials are in bloom one after another. Color is popping everywhere and changing almost daily.
With all my perennial bulbs sprouting, neighborhood locals have begun taste-testing in the early mornings and evenings. Deer and rabbits.
Cute? Absolutely. Little Sh**s? True enough.
They’re spending more time in my front yard than in the conservation land behind our house, grazing on my garden like it’s a mixed salad.
Now, I love the fact that we have quite a few animals around our property, but I’m a bit miffed to say the least about my flower garden becoming a buffet.
What To Do
Marigolds help deter both deer and rabbits from eating nearby perennials. (Photo: P. Barta, Pexels)
There are all kinds of potions and poisons you can use to deter these critters.
Since we have lots of dogs in our neighborhood and I have a biscuit box next to my garden, I need to be careful about chemical use.
I plant marigolds, which work surprisingly well, and this year, I tried Liquid Fence, a mixture that smells like a full diaper mixed with garlic. The main ingredient is putrescent egg solids. Just breathe through your mouth! I used it the other day, and as my husband crossed my path in the garage, he said, ‘God, what’s that smell?’ I told him I needed a shower.
That’s Entertainment
For now, I’m going to consider these visitors my entertainment.
When bunnies visit the garden, I’ll consider it a show like our camera-accessorized bird feeder. Maybe instead of a group of does and fawns, I’ll see the lone buck that is a bit of a recluse. He’s a legend in the neighborhood, partly because he is so elusive.
I might start naming the frequenters based on their markings and eating preferences. Princess Buttercup, who only likes one section of lily greens. Mama June, a large female, who eats pretty much anything and is protective of her fawn. Scared Sally, that’s a bit skittish, and Headlights Hildy, with her blank stare, who freezes when there’s a noise.
Sure beats the bad news and crummy shows available on all the streaming services these days.
