The garden is a wonderful place to practice “don’t know.” Will it be a rainy winter or a droughty winter? Don’t know. The rutabagas were terrific last year; will they grow that well again this year? Don’t know. Just came across some very old seeds. Will they still sprout if planted? Don’t know.
Don’t know applies just as well to what is “known.” Several years ago we wanted to plant some shrubs along the naked fenceline that borders the garden. Our very knowledgeable and helpful friend at the nursery picked out plants that were known to be deer resistant. We put them in.
Pre-drought deer perhaps didn’t like rock roses and lavenders, but since the winters have become so dry and browse less plentiful, our deer think those shrubs are yummy. Only the rosemarys are as yet untouched.
We put deer netting over the vulnerable shrubs to protect them. The plants grew taller than the netting and the deer nipped off the shoots. We raised the netting. The deer found holes and seams and chomped away. Over the past three weeks we have taken off the old netting, put on new netting, raised it even higher, secured it, made a little webby Ft. Knox around those shrubs. Will it work? Don’t know. We’ll have to find out from the deer.
What a wonderful place to practice!
Gassho,
Penny