I will start this post with a beautiful new flower
that opened for the first time this morning.
It is a ‘Splendens’ Tiger lily, Lilium tigrinums.
It has my two favorite colors peachy/melon orange with plum-colored spots.
I am extra grateful to get to see this bloom this morning.
Hundreds of my other blooms did not have the opportunity to open this morning,
because they were eaten by deer last night.
Have I put my heart in transient treasure?
Twenty-eight years of carefully planning and tending my gardens
to become a high-dollar delicatessen for deer?
My living jewels eaten by marauding mammals.
Is this really how one should invest one’s time, money and energy:
to supply the locals with exotic cuisine, free-of-charge?
I must say the FLOWER is feeling rather foolish.
So today, I will enjoy my treasures that have not been eaten.
I need to love things that are not edible…
like my bunnies.
FOOL
floweralley 
OMG! The darn deer! I can’t plant anythign with flowers in my front yard, the deer eat everything! One time my backyard gate was left open and I still remember the next morning my entire rose garden, lillies, and flowers were eaten down to nothing! I rememeber crying that mornng. I feel for you!!
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This is the worst EVER. I am in shock. I am a biologist, so I know I created this problem. I will stick to my deer resistant list from now on.
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Beautiful pictures of your Tiger lilly
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Notice I did not share photos of the carnage. I have been feeling the need for a new career. This may shove me that way.
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Oh I’ve felt this way many times when the wild bunnies were coming into my back yard and eating everything! I told my husband I’m going to plant a garden with just green bushes and succulents and I’m done with flowers, and he told me I would never do that – its just not in me. We Gardeners are eternal optimists – I’m sure you’ll find a way to enjoy your gardenng AND keep the deer and arms lenght. Good luck!!
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I feel your pain. It is so limiting to only plant flowers that the critter won’t eat. I just put salvias in the front yard, as my other plants were trimmed. You lily is really beautiful.
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How absolutely devastating. To post the survivors is admirable
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Always pays to look at the bright side Knight.
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Very nice lily! I suffer the same dilemma with deer. My veg patch is closest to the hedge and is often decimated just as crops are almost ready. My own fault for lining things up and growing them on sticks for them, I suppose!!
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I felt the same way about my “Hosta Row.” I will mix things up more so that the eaten-out spots are not so obvious. Trying to add a silver lining to this cloud.
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Well, what wasn’t devoured is certainly lovely. And those bunny butts are too cute!
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Are they not the cutest? I love when they lie side-by-side like that.
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I know exactly how you feel but please don’t despair. The plants will grow back, we find alternatives, we fence where we can. We find a way. It’s the nature of the gardening beast. x
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I should post all my creative solutions. I placed chicken wire on the ground and popped many 4 -foot, green sticks in it as a warning. (I did not want the fawn to get entangled) Then covered the point of each with a colorful glass ball. I was afraid a deer might poke its eye out. It is rather lovely in a Dr. Seuss sort of way. Everybody’s mama!
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I have a daylily “Lusty Leland” that lost 90% of its buds to nibbling deer. The odd thing is this is the first time it’s been eaten, even though it’s been here for about 10 years. I’ve noticed not all deer like the same things. Last winter my geraniums (Pelargoniums) were nibbled. I didn’t think anyone would appreciate those, with their strong smell.
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I think all the stars were aligned for this. We have always had dogs outside. No more. My husband hooked up the sprinkler system just to keep my plants watered while we were on vacation. The deer just followed their noses to lushness an ate uninterrupted for the first time. They must have gorged themselves. Thanks for the comment.
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Hmm, those lilies aren’t toxic? I guess you have tried the Irish Spring? They are really lovely.
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I will be spreading some Irish Spring shavings next year. No point now. We got nothing but stems here. It really is amazing.
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Well, here is my take from decades of residential work. Drill holes in a whole bar of IS and hang it like Christmas ornaments.Make your husband pee in the backyard or perennial border. (men seem not to want to do this) Find the rotten egg hot pepper sauce anti deer spray recipe.Plant lavendar and juniper. Tips from clients over the years.Or put bales of hay in someone elses garden
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I like that last one. Stay tuned.
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Oh Becca
I have always wanted to make my husband pee on the perennials. (He won’t)
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So disappointing to have the deer in your garden. The lily that remains is magnificent.
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I agree. It is magical.
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Oh dear! Oops no pun intended, I promise. I do know what you are going through. We’ve had years when badgers have come into the garden eating all kinds of things. This year it’s been moles – they don’t eat plants or roots but tunnels under newly planted tomatoes meant virtually re-planting them. 3 times!!!
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I have never even seen a real, wild badger. They must really destroy things. My plants will recover. I need a different plan for next year. Thanks for your comment.
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Badgers are quite fierce, they love sweet things, one year they ste my melons, last year they broke the fence to eat the mulberries. This year all the fields around us have melons so they should be happy; and the farmer not so much!!!!
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