Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Spring in Two Parts


PART ONE: WELCOME DAFFODILS

I have daffodils planted in various parts of the garden: perennial garden, glen, front garden and down at the bottom of the driveway by the big rock. All of them are in different stages. But the first to bloom are in the perennial garden right outside our bedroom window. Even before the sun was up the buds were opening this morning. There are two kinds there: miniature (from a grocery store purchase last spring) and regular size. This is the second year for the regular ones so they have doubled in bloom quantity.

The miniature are on the far left above and by themselves below. You see I added the hyacinthe I got this year and will look forward to its blooming next spring.




PART TWO: INTRUDERS!

I could kick myself. On Saturday I had planned to spray Liquid Fence for the first time this growing season on the delectables that are favored in my garden. I put it off because it was so windy. Now I didn't go into the garden Sunday or Monday but I can see the perennial garden very easily and I would have noticed so the intruders came last night under the moonlight. They went for their regular fare: day lilies. The ones below had quite a bit of growth because they are against a stone wall. They even used their hooves to dig.

What I can't understand is why they ate the stella d'oro lilies which they never have touched in the past? I have quite a few of these that they found. They missed only two: one in the perennial garden and one in the front garden.

They haven't eaten crocuses before but all the purple ones are gone.

They even munched on the sedum,

and irises! Now I can understand eating irises when there's nothing else to eat but in spring time?

I've sprayed the Liquid Fence as of today and will likely do it again this weekend and weekly for the next month then go to monthly applications. Fortunately all the plants will recover and send up new leaves. No buds were taken. Those nasty intruders with the last name d-e-e-r.