Tuesday, April 2, 2019

Spring Fever


Spring . . . and our thoughts turn to sprucing things up.  John is burning piles of brush left from the great tree felling . . .


He's also mending, washing, and repainting the various blue benches.



Along with the benches, he painted the tuteurs  in the little box bed garden.



The arched trellis, alas, was too far gone in rot and since I took this picture, John's pulled it down and set a blue bench in the little niche the arch occupied. 

 As soon as it warms back up  a bit (we had freezing night temperatures Sunday night,) I'll start work on the box beds -- keeping in mind what the deer are less likely to eat. And the rabbits, curse them. Zinnias, along the upper wall, I think . . .



A freshly painted bench beneath the big willow -- I planted that willow soon after we moved here -- probably 1976. My, how it's grown!


Speaking of deer, I spent part of our last warm day, digging up hellebores, False Solomon's Seal, and periwinkle (vinca minor) -- three plants that deer evidently don't eat -- and planting them in other places.

Adapt is the name of the game. We had a lot of years of gorgeous azaleas and rhododendrons but, except for a few tall rhododendrons that still survive at their tops,  that's over.  I know there are various deer repellants but I also know I haven't the discipline or the desire to deal with re-spraying after each rain. 

Instead, I'm going to enjoy watching the deer. 













6 comments:

Anvilcloud said...

Watching the deer has its merits. :)

Misty Barnes said...

I have battled deer for many years. I noticed a drop in them entering the yard when I rescued an outdoor cat. Now they don't venture nearly as close to the house as they did before. I'm wondering if they are turned off by the smell of the cat.

Barbara Rogers said...

Such beautiful blue benches! They add to the environment's beauty, as do the deer! But you are smart to avoid attracting them with efforts to enhance the view which end up making fodder for them.

Bernie said...

The benches look lovely, love the blue. Enjoy your Spring, we are expecting 15-20 cms. tomorrow. xx

Sandra Parshall said...

I love those benches! As for deer, they don’t bother our azaleas (we have many), but they love my dayliliea. Jerry starts soraying as soon as buds appear.

Thérèse said...

Such a rejuvenating blue!