We are just back from a wonderful week in the Thousand Islands
having rented a cottage 
in Thousand Islands Park, NY on the St. Lawrence River. A lovely spot to visit and enjoy nature. 
Future post coming on that subject.I had someone watering for me the week I was gone and though I did treat everything with Liquid Fence the week before departure, obviously having no one at home meant the critters moved in. I think most of this is deer damage but the ground hog may be culpable as well.
Every pink geranium blossom is gone. Here's the before.
Orange day lilies were in the blooming stage but mostly I have stalks now. And these had been sprayed!
Phlox is nibbled but it will send up new flower buds.
These lilies won't recover this season.
I only have this low one they missed.
This I can't figure. They ate the leaves of the bleeding heart. Never have they done this before.
I was so hoping to finally see blossoms on this liatris but not this year.
The hibiscus was just cut right off. That one's a mystery too because typically not touched by the deer.
The Easter lily had some nibbles but it will bloom.
More day lily bare stalks.
Stella d'oro is never eaten. Not this time. Here in the perennial garden and in the pond garden something decided to munch.
And did they really nibble on this too?
I expected the blossoms of the hostas to disappear and some did. Others didn't.
This is a hibiscus I brought home from my Mom's cottage when we moved her out. They have been munching on it.
Pink Yarrow - nibbled.
And finally evidence of the other culprit. A newly dug hole under the deck. New tactics are in order to address this scoundrel.
Must break out more Liquid Fence this week and make lots of noise to let them know we are home to stay and please stick to the woods.
15 comments:
Ouch! that is a huge amount of damage but looks like deer and not groundhog (he'd go for low laying plants). Hope you'll be able to protect remaining flowers from critters.
Oh deer/oh groundhog is right! Holy cow I didn't know how many things they would eat. Apparently ALL of it, huh? Hope it all bounces back....but the trip looks like it was just lovely.
Oh Marcia.... That truly makes me cry... How very very sad. We have been lucky not to lose too much due to the deer---but who knows about tomorrow??? We will be gone from Wed-Sun... We'll also use the Liquid Fence before we go.. BUT--there is no guarantee... Looks like you may have 'other' visitors besides the deer. I do know that groundhogs will eat lots of the leaves, etc... Rabbits will eat things also... This is just so very very sad... I'll bet you cried. Glad you got some great photos BEFORE you left... You'll just have to look at them for the memories this year... Hope I'm not writing the same blog when we return...
Lots of HUGE,
Betsy
Put out some traps to catch the smaller critters... We trap squirrels and take them about 5 miles away from here into the woods...
Betsy
Oh my.....that's a lot of damage. I didn't think they would eat yarrow and hibiscus? They nibbled my garden phlox too. I've been so busy keeping my hostas sprayed I forgot about some of my other plants they like.
They also ate all the leaves they could reach of a Kwansan Cherry I planted last year. I have 9 acres of woods where they can graze to their hearts content, but no they have to have their main meal off the 1 acre I garden!!!
With the hole I think the ground hog was a participant. It took care of the pots on the deck.
The Asiatic lilies are done for the season since the buds have been chewed off. Some of the day lilies have new shoots coming up that were missed. Thankfully the later blooming day lilies were ignored. Got to get out there today and spray.
Squirrels are not a problem and we enjoy their antics. My feeders are too complicated for them. It's the deer and ground hog I have to be on guard for all the time. The raccoons are a nuisance occasionally.
I was truly surprised by what they chose to eat. This morning I discovered they did a job pruning the Joe Pye weed in the pond garden. Fortunately some is too high for them to get to. Hibiscus and bleeding heart were very strange choices for them.
They were obviously hungry! I'm so sorry about your lilies, and the liatris. It must have been heartbreaking - and extremely frustrating - to walk around and see all the damage. I think I would have to put up an electric fence or something!
The Thousand Islands is a beautiful area!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.
They must have been starving, they ate all your lovely plants and flowers. A sad sight to see after your trip. We have problems with the groundhogs eating our flowers. Wishing you a happier week this week.
It must be soul destroying to come back from a wonderful holiday and see all the damage. I don't envy you.
Goodness, such a lot of damage! Looks like the work of a thug! I hope some of your garden makes it through to bloom.
Goodness gracious me, what a amount of damage. I thought it would be nice to have deer around, but I am having second thoughts after seeing your lovely garden ruined.
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