2019 Gardens

[rosarugosa]

My gardens are in a state of limbo, but I love my front yard with the peonies (which are beautiful this year and not beaten down by bad weather), the lavender bush, catmint, hydrangea, Japanese maple and assorted thymes (creeping and English).

Picture of peonies:

Attachment 2775

But I have a ton of work to do in VT when I get there.


PS: don't mind the hillbilly sofa on the front porch. It was there for the garage sale, but it's now on its way to VT. But I have to say, we loved having a sofa on the porch! We sat out there for ages, talking!

So those hillbillies must have been onto something! Your peonies are lovely. Mine are just about to get started.

[Teacher Terry]

Catherine so when are you going to Vermont? Will the kids move in then? Big changes on the horizon.

[catherine]

Catherine so when are you going to Vermont? Will the kids move in then? Big changes on the horizon.

Yes, we are 9 days out until our Big Move. Painting/repairs to take place in NJ house in June, son moves in in July. I am still happy with our decision (so far) to let son rent from us. Feels like a comfortable transition. The next big question is, what is the long-term game plan because DH absolutely will not stay in the "wee hoose" in the winter.

[iris lilies]

Nice peonies! They are not eaten by deer.

I am starting to learn what deer like in Hermann and the peonies are not consumed by the four legged thieves.

[nswef]

Daffodils seem to be deer proof. I am thrilled with the peonies this year, a couple of climbing roses that were my mother in law's that languished in the garden for years and look beautiful and healthy right now. Bright red. I moved them closer to the house last year and SWEAR I will fertilize and spray them with the Rose society spray of epsom salts, baking soda and detergent. I'm a poor fertilizer, but I have fish emulsion and am making an effort. I was given a beautiful, fragrant white rose and after I plant it, I want it to last at least a year....
We've had twice the amount of rain this year than normal...The daffodils, peonies loved it, maybe the roses and the lavender all died. I think heaving did it. We're in piedmont Maryland- zone 6.

[nswef]

And the iris are doing well.

[iris lilies]

Daffodils are known critter resistors. Deer do not eat iris, rabbits do not eat them, we knew that before buying our
Hermann property. otherwise, though this seems weird to say, I would not move a garden to
hermann. I have to be able to grow either iris or lilies, and lilies are out because they are deer candy.

I spread a few extra lilies in my hermann garden to see what happens and sure enoug, already this year half of them were eaten up along with the very few hostas there. But we know hostas are attractive to deer.

the deer are eating phlox I just transplanted from my city garden, they ate a fair amoung. They sample new young rudbeckia and cone flowers.

I put out one coleous plant to see if they liked it. I Want to plan a lot of coral bells since their foliage comes in such great colors these days but I do not know if deer like

[dado potato]

I have deer that eat everything but daffodils, hyacinth, poppies, and primroses. Some years the animals eat lupine and tulips, but I think they need to be unusually hungry. They leave garlic, parsley, asparagus and chives alone, and they haven't come close the house (but there is nothing to stop them).

The best remedy is probably a deer-proof fence. I believe there is less expense to grow container plants ( I have been happy with cherry tomatoes and arugula grown in pots on my deck. This year I am trying Okinawa Spinach in pots.)

For swiss chard, hostas, and trillium, I cover the plants with cages when they first send up shoots. My cages are sold as storage shelving, they are painted black, and have not rusted after 3-5 years. They snap together (5-sided, open to the ground). I will attach a picture of a hosta in a cage. In time the hosta gets crowded, but I like to think it would rather be crowded than eaten.

In the past whenever I uncovered my hostas, they were eaten within 5 days.

000_0296 (2).jpg

[rosarugosa]

Dado, do your hostas stay in the cages permanently? Life without chance of parole?

[Teacher Terry]

Catherine, I imagine it would be too isolating and cold in the winter. For some reason I thought you were going to rent a apartment in town during winter.