I am back at the lake for a weekend. There has been drought conditions here. I expected things to be dry. The unexpected find was the level of deer damage. The herd is hungrier than ever.
We might as well dig up all the hydrangeas.
They usually leave the tiger lilies alone. Both stands have been beheaded inside support rings. Their are only one or two tops left that may bloom. The rest are done for the year.
The patch of pineapple lilies has been sheared off to only five inches high. I will fence this in tomorrow. The flower stalks emerge later, so they may still be able to bloom.
I still have some Amaryllis/Hippeastrum out in the gardens. Poor Moonscene was mutilated.
The two pinks had fences on top, so they are safe.
Atleast sweet little Santiago is safe on the porch.
I must accept that this place has reached the point of diminishing returns. It’s tough to see decades of work go down the drain.
I will be rescuing a few favorites and letting the rest go. I am hiring help for a big purge. I have been losing this battle for years now. It is past time to cut my losses.
There have been some good things, too. Rose caught a catfish this evening.
We all got to see the gorgeous fox come out at dusk. I will appreciate what is still here while I am here.
I miss the mountain.
FLOW
floweralley 
Oh, no. It’s so disappointing when critters (no matter how cute) do so much damage. It’s a proliferation of rabbits in my garden challenging my gardening endeavors. I hope you find much to rescue and enjoy later.
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I have been out today doing some moving and fencing. Almost every plant is struggling. I have help hired for June. I cannot do this by myself. Thanks bfll.
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Sad for you and for the deer
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Yes Knight. I am not sure how appropriate some of these plants are as food. I hope they are not getting sick off of some plants. I did not envision my garden as a deer delicatessen when I designed it.
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How heartbreaking! 😟
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Accepting a new reality…like it or not.
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heart rending, Flow: such beautiful plants, such damage —
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It’s so sad when this happens. I currently have a critter digging in all of my pots, tipping everything over, at night, every night! Nothing is eaten but I fear the re-planting cannot go on daily! One does wonder what the native landscape can’t sustain our wildlife. You are wise to get help and acknowledge what you can’t accomplish alone. You are in my heart, dear Flow, these are tough days.
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Not to worry, Dorothy Jane. I will protect my favorites. It is time for some reframing on my part. My new garden is small enough to manage. One of my favorite words is adapt. Change is inevitable.
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It’s so sad when this happens. I currently have a critter digging in all of my pots, tipping everything over, at night, every night! Nothing is eaten but I fear the re-planting cannot go on daily! One does wonder what the native landscape can’t sustain our wildlife. You are wise to get help and acknowledge what you can’t accomplish alone. You are in my heart, dear Flow, these are tough days.
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