The Bunny Wars - Soft and Easy!

So, it's obvious, the little voles can't be eating ALL the green that's going down, and the evidence >>>

leads me to believe they are teaming up with the rabbits. It appears that the voles eat the roots and stems, and the bunnies eat everything from the ground up! It is so frustrating!!!

Now, don't get me wrong - I love the bunny rabbits, I mean, who wouldn't love these cute things???

(bunny photos courtesy of Flickr)

Awwwwwwwwww, aren't they sweet!?! Of course they are, and I love them! For two summers I fed and watered babies who were living under our hedge. The hedge is gone, but the bunnies aren't, and that's fine, because I know a secret!

The secret is this - rabbits will NOT cross a white line - HONEST! So, I put some flour (the baking kind) in a bottle and draw circles around my tender plants, like this >>>

I've used this method in years past, and it works! The bunnies love my lemon verbena when it's young and tender, but once it's toughened up a bit, they don't bother it, so it's just a matter of drawing my little circles with flour (or cornmeal or corn starch, or whatever you have) and they eventually get washed away with the rain. In the meantime the bunnies stay away from the plants, and I don't get angry at them. And I wouldn't want to get angry with the bunnies, now would I???

The voles, well, they are another matter entirely!

What I'll Be Doing This Weekend . . .

Raking leaves from flower beds . . .

Pulling weeds from same beds . . .

Planting new perenniels . . .

Fighting voles!!! See the damage they are causing to my prize hostas . . .

Digging Holes . . . . .

Fertilizing . . . .

Watering . . .

Digging up, dividing, and re-planting established perenniels, like these daylilies . . .

Note - the white stuff to the right of the daylily is the shells from safflower seeds. There is a feeder hanging just above this plant!

Here are some things I've already planted . . . . .

Pineapple Sage - a true performer in the garden!

Black and Blue Salvia - see the hostas the voles are eating??? Oh! And does anyone want any spearmint plants???? I pull them up by the trash bag full several times a year and put them in the garbage!

Heuchera - Peach Melba

Now blooming!!!

One of my two (identical) new bird feeders!

Vole Holes >>>>

Yesterday I spent $16 for a 10 pound bag of 'mole/vole repellent'. I'll let you know how it works, because obviously the traps are NOT working! The varmints are licking the peanut butter coated traps clean nd never once tripping them!

And things I still have to plant >>>

Pin Cushion Flower - it was almost dark when I took this - it looks like I spent tons of time clearing the background, doesn't it!

Heuchera (Coral Bells) Key Lime

Heuchera - Midnight Rose (My Favorite!)

And all of this >>>>>

A fairy rose, peach colored flowering quince, English dogwood, sage, parsley, thyme, dill, oregano, fennel, basil, hyacinth beans, moon flowers, heavenly blue morning glories, black and blue salvia, foxgloves, hollyhocks, more pineapple sage, gaura, dianthus, and who knows what else is in there! Oh! and on the newspapers, the goodies my aunt gave me yesterday - lemon balm, monarda and shasta daisies!

So, if I don't get back for a couple of days, please know that I'm having fun 'playing in the dirt'!!! Have a great weekend, doing what you love most! Blessings, Becky