Native Gardening

I love deep shade plants. For close to 25 years, those have been my only options on most properties Ive lived on. Most do require moisture tho. The dry ones are more difficult to pin down. If you need any help with deepshade plants, let me know.

 

They impress me as tropical, wet, and somewhat shady. I confess I havent looked much into them.

 

That's good, because they're invasive here in the US.

Milkweeds are typically resistant to mammals due to the poison. As for the rest, I wouldn't know. The plants native to California are unfamiliar to me. We have deer here, too. I live next to a wooded park. They rarely wander into the yard but have never caused an issue. Rabbits are the big pest here.

 

We have rabbits, but they are shy. As for butterfly bushes, they are not an issue here. Some here hate Quaking Aspen, they are invasive...or my personal hatred, Siberian Elm. I suppose its about where you are.

 

Milkweed? Isnt that a monarch butterfly favorite? I just assumed because its not prolific here, the deer eat it...but if it can be grown, Im more then happy to try.

 

Narrow Leaf Milkweed, Asclepias fascicularis, is native to our area, north of Klamath Falls and less than 100 miles from Weed. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is giving out packets of seeds that are donated by the Southern Oregon Monarch Advocates. We just started some of them.

 

Tried it, the deer dont care here, lol. Over the 30 or so years our neighborhood has been in existance, the deer have learned all the tricks and pass it on to their young. I have tried human hair, dog hair, sprays, fishing line, dog urine, just about anything short of electric fence and it doesnt matter. Now its just a pure ugly deer fence. Oh well, the price we pay for living in our paradise. The biggest deterrent for not having deer is not feeding them.

 

I m considering spray painting my ugly deer fence to blend it into the yard. Same here for the deer, 5 ft works...IF they have no safe landing. In a large yard with a clear landing on the other side, they would jump it for morsels. I have filled my yard with rocks, logs, and paths that confuse and scare them. Alot of people do that here since there is an HOA limit on fencing, but none on width, so breaking up their landing with rocks, logs, ect..seems to work fairly well.

 

Nice! I feel our natural state has been unbalanced. Originally, our neighborhood was built as "deer friendly". Which meant it was built to allow natural migration paths through the area. Over 30 or so years, thats been interrupted. We have a golf course, and many lawns. So, why should deer move through when green grass is available all year? Not to mention, people thought "deer friendly" also meant deer loving, and started feeding then, which made things a million times worse. Now, I can have a herd of 10 to 12 does roaming my area at any given time.

 

Yep, I have scars on my trees from bucks too, but mostly the young ones come down off the hills in fall, no chance of breeding. It all just seems so topsy turvey. We are cautious of the bucks...we give them their space. They arent the feeders the does are. They are looking for an easy lay, lol. The does know better.

 

I tried to look up if CA here has a doe season, since we are not hunters, and it was so confused about sections and areas and everything so unclear, I suppose I will have to ask my hubby to ask a deer hunter directly about it, cuz Im trully not sure.

 

Columbine, my favorite flower, the wild red one I sourced from the mountains was by far my favorite. Had two good years then didn't return for a third. Now I just have this domestic patch, mixed with coral bells.

 

I made a good purchase yesterday. I was surprised to see Meadow Blazing Star at a local garden center. You may or may not know, this is the ultimate Monarch Butterfly magnet!



Also, Monarch Butterflies are back in Wisconsin! I saw one yesterday and another today.

 

Finished my newest section of native garden today. Also planted 100 or more seedlings in it, though it'll need a lot more.


Also saw two blooms in my already-established section.

 

My first Lanceleaf Tickseed bloomed today. Bought it last year and have been patiently waiting.