The persistent pansy

Why is "pansy" used as an insult to suggest weakness, when the pansy is often the hardiest (and last) flower in the winter garden?

The pansies in my front yard were given to me and forgotten, not planted or watered for a week in the late summer. And yet when I finally got them in the ground, even after they were munched down by the local deer*, they managed to bloom. Those bloom have persisted for almost three months, despite at least one hard frost and the wild swings of temperature this fall.

I used to only plant perennials. Why plant something again and again when you only have to do it once? But most perennials bloom for a few weeks and then they are gone, while annuals persist in an extended and glorious swan song. Now I make room in my garden for both.

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* They haven't munched them since I sprayed them with Deer Off.

Color that remains in the November garden

Walking around with my camera on November 5th, I captured the remaining color in my garden.

We've had a unusually mild autumn, but there have been a few cold overnights. Yet the zinnias that I had planted in my deck container are still in bloom, despite the leaf mildew that is overwhelming the rest of the plant. I have decided that zinnias are my favorite summer flower--they bloom all summer (and into the fall), come in vibrant colors, and thrive despite being pot-bound. Even better, I transplanted the remaining couple of plants to my yard to see if the deer would have their way with them,  but they have proven deer-resistant (as advertised) so far.

Zinnias (annual)

Other flowers still in bloom:

Pink begonia (perennial)

Marigolds (annual)

Faded blooms:

Chrysanthemums (perennial)

Hydrangea

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Finally, let us now praise the persistent pansy...

Desperately seeking vegetables (and sunshine)

My yard is so inhospitable to edible plants that for many years I've attempted growing them in containers on my deck, where I get, at most, four hours of sun by the middle of the summer.

This isn't optimum. Some years I've harvested maybe four cucumbers or zucchinis and then my plants have wilted away. And it's still no guarantee that the plants won't be eaten or dug up. Many is the time that I've looked out my window to find a squirrel digging through my containers. I even had a buck walk up the steps of my deck a couple of years ago and take out everything in my salad and herb containers in the 30 seconds it took me to run outside and shoo him away (not before he stood looking at me for a few moments).

And yet I can't help myself. I start going to garden centers every spring and I buy plants and seeds, imagining all the wonderful plants I can grow. It's an addiction, but not really a bad one.

I have a green thumb--really I do! I've just never had the sunny (and deer-free) yard to prove it!

This is probably my last year of attempting a deck garden.  I realize now how hard it is on the deck  have potted plants that are watered and peeing on it daily. Next year, I'm only going to plant things in my yard that the deer have (so far) shown no interest in: chives, green onions, basil, thyme, parsley, (and well-chosen flowers and other decorative plants). Fortunately, these are the plants I often use in my cooking and they are among the most expensive to buy in the grocery store.

So this is my farewell vegetable deck garden. Here's to a future of not having to get out and water potted plants every day!

Deer-proof spring plants: Decoratives

I went around my yard this week and took photos of decorative flowers and plants that the deer haven't touched. (I'll do shrubs and then edibles in separate posts).

I have seven deer that come through my yard once or twice a day and, while they will surely chow down on the hosta that has recently arisen from the ground, they have never touched any of these plants. (I can't make the same assurance at the height of winter, when the deer can get a little desperate).

Note: Most of the plants grow well in shade since most parts of my yard are in partial to full shade.

Forsythia

Bleeding Heart

Narcissus

Columbine (so far, so good--just planted)

Helleborus (full plant)

Helleborus

Arum Italicum (Italian arum)

Lily of the Valley

Ferns

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Groundcovers

Pachysandra (ground cover)

Ajuga (ground cover)

Periwinkle (ground cover)

Violets (accidental ground cover)

Sweet Woodruff

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And from earlier in the spring...

Jonquils

Crocus

Snowdrops

[All photos: Copyright 2015 Beth Blevins. Please do not reprint or reuse without permission.]

Farewell to winter 2015!

It's March 25, and only the crocuses have bloomed. The jonquils are still four inch spears pushing up from the ground. We had snow on the ground for most of January and February, and had our last big snow last week. It didn't last long since it warmed up over the weekend.

Here's to spring!