Using Container Gardening to Ward Off Wildlife Damage in the Garden

 Hi all!  How are you doing? I hope you are enjoying summer so far.  Today I am sharing a hardship I have with gardening at my home in Groton, Massachusetts. Every year it is a struggle for me to do the thing that I truly, truly enjoy; that being having a beautiful garden.  There are many animals around the yard that really raise havoc for me.  There are woodchucks, bunnies, deer, squirrels and chipmunks that love to come and eat all the pretty flowers that are trying so hard to grow.  This is really disheartening for me but, I keep trying no matter what. 

Every year it continues to become a real challenge to get flowers to grow before being eaten down to the nubbins by one or more of these animals.  So, for the most part, I have had to resort to container gardens, although the squirrels and chipmunks get into those too.  I know I am complaining but, it can be sooo discouraging.

Even though I know all of this, I still continue to buy many, many flats of flowers. I love color and I want my yard to look nice.

Since I have many containers left over from previous years of gardening, I begin by filling them up with annuals I purchase at local garden centers.

With these containers I am hoping climbing plants will grow up the trellis or the ladder shown.  In the planter below I am trying to grow morning glories from seed to climb up the ladder.  We will see how that goes!

This planter also has a climbing feature.  The petunias are growing in nicely but not much is happening with the climbers.  Still hoping for the best :).

I even have a few stray seeds from last year trying to join the party.  I think this sprout is castor bean flower but, I am not sure.

This is a simple container that I partially filled with marigolds.  I loved the orange next to the turquois and terracotta of the container.

I also did some experimenting with herbs and flowers together.

Or with herbs alone.  (Side note: You can propagate basil very easily by taking a cutting from the plant and placing the stem in a jar of water.  Roots will form very quickly, usually within a week or so.)

I also have had some luck with growing zinnias from seed this year.  This whole tray was filled with zinnia plantings.  I have placed them in various spots around my gardens.

Here they are as babies. I am not sure you can even point them out but, they are growing and (fingers crossed) the chipmunks and bunnies haven't found them yet. 

I have managed to plant some actual gardens in the ground around my property.  It is at the flowers' peril though.  At any moment a bunny, woodchuck or deer can come by and eat the poor thing down to nothing but, for now they are holding their own.

I even put a container garden within the inground garden to add some height and interest.

I like to add garden art, as well.

And there are some stray wildflowers (weeds) that mix in also.  I don't usually pull them out until they are done blooming.

Perennials are always welcome wherever they flourish in the garden, too.

I have changed up the front door planters at this stage in the season.  I removed the pussywillow, added in stakes and a few more shade plants.  So far, so good.  They are bringing color to the front step, which is always good.

Just to prove my point, these guys visited me this morning after making breakfast of some of the impatiens in one of my gardens.  It's hard to stay mad at these fellas when they are so darn cute!!!

Forgive the messiness of the side yard.  We have been away for five days, and it has been 

very hot and nothing was watered.  So, the yard needs much attention :).

Enjoy your week!

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