Happy Monday GPODers!
We’re starting off the week in Rotterdam, New York, visiting the garden of Maxine Brisport. Maxine has shared her beautiful garden with us several times in the past (check out some of her earlier submissions: Visitors in Maxine’s Garden, Blooms in Maxine’s Garden, and Celebrating End-of-Summer Beauty with Maxine), but today she’s discussing a challenging, and fluffier, part of her garden that she hasn’t mentioned before.
It is quite disheartening to wander through the garden each morning and see the plants that are eaten by the several rabbits and bunnies that have taken residence in the garden. Throughout the day the rabbits and bunnies can be seen foraging and even resting amongst the flowers. The bunnies appear to eat anything that is in bloom. They have devoured plants that are considered to be rabbit resistant such as marigolds, salvia and black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta, Zones 3–11). However, there is no doubt that the following are some of their favorites: ‘Storm Cloud’ bluestar (Amsonia tabernaemontana ‘Storm Cloud’, Zones 4–9), bellflower, coneflower, ‘Concord Grape’ spiderwort (Tradescantia ‘Concord Grape’, Zones 3–9) and ‘Black Barlow’ columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris var. stellata ‘Black Barlow’, Zones 3–9). The plants that have been consumed are struggling to regrow. Seeing our precious flowers being gobbled up by the adorable bunnies is quite frustrating, yet we have made the decision to not actively repel them. Instead, we take pleasure in enjoying the flowers that they have left for us to nurture.
Too tall for small herbivores to make a snack of, this trumpet lily (Lilium regale, Zones 4–8) is still looking regal in Maxine’s garden.
Much loved my many pollinators but apparently not a rabbit favorite, butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa, Zones 3–9) is absolutely glowing next to some bright, white daisies.
This ‘Alexander’ yellow loosestrife (Lysimachia punctata ‘Alexander’, Zones 4–8) is a double whammy of interest: incredible variegated foliage with lovely ripples of texture and pops of bright but delicate yellow, cup-shaped flowers.
I absolutely love that Maxine photographs her garden visitors as beautifully as she captures the plants that she grows. Although they wreak havoc on her flowers and make meals of her plants, they are still adorable garden guests that we have to learn how to share our environment with. Maxine seems to be doing an excellent job of striking that balance with nature.
And Maxine shows that sharing is possible with all the fabulous flowers she is still left to enjoy! Here, a ‘Tiger Swirl’ daylily (Hemerocallis ‘Tiger Swirl’, Zones 3–9) glows in the sun.
And on the opposite end of the color spectrum, this cool-toned ‘Entrapment’ daylily (Hemerocallis ‘Entrapment’, Zones 2–9) has added flair with fancy ruffled petals.
Some gardeners find their young hostas eaten down to the roots from hungry rabbits in the spring, but Maxine has found success growing a great multitude of these classic shade plants. This bed has an incredible mix of colors, shapes, and textures, all complimenting a mix of other classic shade lovers like ferns and astilbe.
Another great technique when dealing with furry garden grazers is to grow up! Vining plants allow you to grow flowers at heights too tall for smaller flower feasters like rabbits, woodchucks, and gophers. This blue passionflower (Passiflora caerulea, Zones 2–9) is a fantastic climber with gorgeous blooms.
Lastly, another garden visitor lounging in the shade of a little garden bench. Maxine has clearly made a bunny haven in her garden!
And Maxine shared so many great photos of her plants and rabbit guests that we’ll be back in her garden tomorrow to see more.
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Comments
I love your mature garden and your willingness to share it with the rabbits. The variegated loosestrife is particularly beautiful
We know how you feel!
Groundhogs and deer are the current diners in our garden. I am having good close range results with ‘Deer Off’ cartridges, but the groundhogs remain unimpressed. So I leave lots of violets growing around the beds, which they browse instead of most of the flowers.
We had rabbits and bunnies a couple of years ago, and they also kindly dined on the violets. I put some blood meal around some white marigolds they ate, and haven’t seen them since. In retrospect, I miss them. ;)
Two miniature poodles and a 5 foot fence around our back yard keep the rabbits and deer at bay. It's hard enough to try to keep things from being killed by insect pests (Japanese beetles!!!!) without using insecticides to then watch them be eaten by rabbits! In my front beds, I spray a mixture of 1 part milk/3 parts water and peppermint essential oil on anything that the deer and rabbits like and that works a treat! You have managed to keep a lovely garden in spite of the critters.
Ah a gardener after my own heart, a wildlife friendly garden that you share with the animals! And look at all the beautiful plants you still have!
I just love that photo of the lounging rabbit under your bench! So cute!
Such a beautiful garden! Looking forward to tomorrows posts too!
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