Lady in the Garden

Gardenlady IN the

y Sanctuary move-in story took place six years ago! It’s hard to believe it has been that long. When we decided to make The Sanctuary our new home, my husband Stephen was told by our Finch Lane cul-de-sac neighbors that he was either going to be a hero or in BIG trouble. He and my oldest son Connor decided to surprise me and move our family to our new house on Finch Lane while I was overseas visiting my youngest son Gaven. The surprise was a huge success with the help of some very good friends and their truck. When I returned from overseas, I was collected from the airport by my husband and taken straight to our new house in The Sanctuary. It was a lovely surprise, and Stephen wasn’t in trouble. I got busy renovating the house on Finch Lane inside and out, which is where my gardening story begins. I have learned some valuable lessons as a dedicated gardener who lives in The Sanctuary. I am happy to pass these lessons on to others. My first experience with the limitations of what you can and cannot plant in The Sanctuary began when I planted a border around my

Mnewest flower bed with monkey grass (Liriope). I have always planted this around my beds to keep soil and mulch from running out of my gardens during heavy rain, so I planted it and did not think anything of it. The following day I went to water my newly planted babies, and I was shocked to see my orderly monkey grass incomplete disarray! Some plants remained in the ground but were eaten down to the soil line. Others were scattered all over the lawn, pulled from the ground: new dirt, roots, and all. Maybe five plants had survived from the whole flat I had planted. My neighbor Miss Marcia must have heard my gasps over the rumble of her lawn mower that morning because she calmly came over and told me that I had had a visit from the deer last night. What monkey grass they didn’t eat, was simply tasted and dropped on the ground. My love/hate relationship with The Sanctuary wildlife began, according to Stephen, when he special ordered the “wildlife package” for me!

I have learned that The Sanctuary deer seem to like younger plants, so I buy the bigger plants in pots instead of the flats of small baby plants or flowers. Interestingly, deer don’t seem to eat the things that we eat like Rosemary or Lavender, but they will eat roses: thorns and all. I put deer fencing around my Knock Out Roses when I first planted them, but every time the new leaves came on, so would the deer. So much for the deer fence. I have also observed that deer repellent comes in handy when I plant a new Azalea, Camilla, or Roses. The repellent is as essential for new plantings as plant foods like Osmocote or Miracle-Gro LiquaFeed to get that new plant established. I then alternate between the powder repellent like Deer Scram (I like this one because it is a very fine powder.) and the liquid repellent, which is very smelly. I have also tried soap shavings and Cayenne pepper on leaves, but that washes off when it rains. No plant is truly deer-proof, but there are deer resistant plants. I have had success in my gardens with flowers like Pentas, Snapdragon, Angelonia, Lantana, Foxtail ferns, and bushes like Anise, Junipers, Ginger, Sago, and other palms, in spite of the deer. So, enjoy the Sanctuary wildlife package, compliments of Stephen.

A word on weed control In gardens and lawns, weed control is also about water control. Combatting this can be somewhat easy. For example, any low spots in the lawn can be raised with masonry sand. Also, keep your sub surface drainage and ditches clean of debris. This is as easy as running a rake or even a broom through the drain.

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To reduce the need for weeding in gardens, keep your beds well mulched and make sure the mulch is thick enough. Two - four inches is recommended. Pine straw is another great option to battle weeds in bales, is easy to spread, and breaks down naturally. Pine straw also comes in dyed colors to create interesting, eye popping areas. This year, I did try a recycled product made from the rubber of old tires that was dyed brown. It makes a good show for edging and because it comes in bags, it is easy to handle weight wise. I don’t recommend putting the rubber mulch around plants because the rubber holds heat in the summer. For young plants trying to get established, that extra heat from the rubber can be a problem. Another weed barrier that adds an extra layer of weed protectant is landscaping fabric. Although landscape fabric does work on weeds, it can inhibit water from getting to the roots of your plants. Finally, it is important to continue replenishing the mulch in your flowerbeds all year. This will help keep the weeds down and the soil cool. Gardening is really like painting in your gardens with flowers, so have fun and be creative. Late summer bloomers are beginning to come into glory now. What could be prettier than bright red flowers covered with yellow sulfur butterflies and hummingbirds?!