Deer Damage and Butterflies

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 At first I was not going to share the damage the deer created in the gardens. However with neighbors and friends having deer frequent their gardens, I thought maybe you might like to see what Bambi can do. Hostas are like lettuce. They eat them down. They also eat Japanese painted ferns, lilies, rocky mountain tickseed, lilies, gladioli blossoms, coral bells, bleeding hearts, and a few other plants that were growing in the faery garden right next to the woods.

 In late spring, a fawn was born in the woods next to our house. While the blackberries were ripe, our granddaughter was out picking ripe berries. She ate as she picked. On the other side of the patch was the deer. I began early on to create a deer deterrent with garlic powder and hot sauce. Bambi was quite smart going from one garden to the next. He did not however like the herb garden and avoids marigolds. He would walk right below the deck eating as he went. Then, the thyme began to cascade and marigolds bloom. By then he had eaten sunflowers and nibbling squash leaves from our raised bed garden. The plant above used to be a hydrangea. It was actually a nice size bush until Bambi broke butterfly bush branches to eat the plant.

 Becoming a bit more bold, Bambi ventured into the front yard and is currently enjoying the leaves of this small variegated dogwood tree. The other one is mostly stalks.

           Butterfly bushes are in full bloom. They are filled with a variety of butterflies and hummingbirds.

                                    They are also filled with bees and other winged critters.

                           A hydrangea blossom in full bloom on a plant that must be seven feet tall.

Blue skies, white fluffy clouds and loads of flowers, life is great in the mountains.