Deer-proof flowers: chrysanthemums

I've discovered a flower that the deer will not eat under any circumstance. And it's freely available--and cheap.

What is this miracle flower? Chrysanthemums.

Every fall I buy a couple of pots of mums to put in my deck box. A couple of years ago, I decided that, instead of tossing them out when cold weather hits and the blooms fade, I'd put the plant into the ground to see if it might survive.

It came back gangbusters. The plant below was originally a small plant in a pot. I have since divided it four or five times so that it is in different parts of my yard. But it seems to thrive in this one spot near my driveway, which gets a lot of sun.

On the last day of April 2013 (or thereabouts)...

Here is what was (still) blooming in my yard on the last day of April this year. (Click on any of the photos to see them bigger).

A slope of purple ajuga, with white and pink azaleas behind.

Bleeding hearts, may apples and periwinkle, growing in the shade.

Small white azalea bushes growing in almost total shade near my mailbox.

Even the rhubarb plant on my deck burst into bloom.

February Blooms... and persistent color

The snowdrops began to peek out from the ground the first week of the month. Their blooms still persist. They have always cheered me on gloomy winter days, but this year an additional delight is that they are popping up in unexpected places, where the yard was re-dug last summer (and no one thought to plant them there).

The new lenten rose plants, put in the ground in mid-November, have already begun to bloom. Last year's plant did well in cold weather also, but it looked lonesome and it's blooms were a pale yellow. This year, I added new colors.

The crocus began to appear last week. Not all of them have bloomed yet—and some, in other parts of the yard, are still just green shoots at this point. 

But there is other, persistent color. The Nandina bush's leaves and berries have provided small dabs of red in a corner of the yard.

 And rock cress and sedums have provided color on the deck.

Transformation

Our front yard went through a drastic transformation this summer. It started in June—whenever it rained hard, our basement flooded (not with rainwater...). To allay the problem, it was found that we needed new septic fields, which meant that most of the yard had to be torn up, trees taken down, and sidewalk pulled up. Here are pictures of the transformation, from past to present. (Note: Click any pic to see it in full screen mode.)

2006 - Zen stone garden in front, azaleas in bloom

2006 - J. and S. working in the yard. 
(This is the best pic we had of wooden sidewalk)

Oct. 2011 - An early snow falls on our dogwood and oak.

Aug. 2012 - Perk test—digging up begins.

Aug. 2012 - Last look at front yard, new swale and old trees
(with deer looking on).

Mr. Pickles and his sister at work on septic fields.
(Pine, oak and other trees have been cut down.)

Our lovely new doorfront.

Final note: Stay tuned for spring pics! The front has been re-landscaped and new bushes and flowers planted.