We had deer visit last night - ggrrrrr - got some beans this time. We do use Liquid Fence on the shrubs, hostas, ect but they still manage to get something everytime they visit - pesky little devils....

Lynne

It's odd, but now the house is more out in the open the deer have gotten bolder. But after spring really starts there's so much stuff growing everywhere that they don't concentrate on my garden so much. I'm always mindful when I plant things that deer may really like it, but some things I just cannot resist planting, like roses.

Cameron I really like that Stachys. Reminds me of Pickerelweed only much pinker.

The Stachys Hummelo (upright betony) is doing great. The lush, mounding foliage looks so good...it's almost emerald green with a refreshing look.

Last night's deer snacks:

Rudbeckia 'Goldsturm', foliage tops
Geranium 'Rozanne', a few blooms
iris ensata: a few blooms, no buds

Cameron, your gardens are too gorgeous. A couple of questions. What is that beehive statuary? Also, how long have you been using neem oil on the roses. What is your routine, when, how much, etc.? Do you do all the work yourself or do you have help? What a well groomed garden!

claire in sanford

That beehive statuary is actually an acorn finial (concrete) from our BB friends. I have two of those that I move around (very heavy) in the garden when I have a spot that needs a filler. I also have a concrete "bunny" bench from BB that I stained to soften the look.

I just started using neem oil this year (3 sprayings now, 3 weeks apart) based upon a recommendation from my son. There are JBs everywhere, so I sprayed the roses again last evening. As a result, the JBs are crawling up off the foliage and trying to get into the rose blooms (you don't spray the blooms). I started clipping off the blooms last evening, but a neighbor showed up to chat about plants until way after dark.

Per the instructions on the neem oil, I mix a teaspoon or so or the oil and dish liquid, then add water, shake and spray. It smells a bit and is difficult to get off your hands, so I wear rubber kitchen gloves to keep it off my skin...it doesn't hurt you, it just stinks to me. Like burned peanuts!

In terms of help, I have a lot of help from my husband and one of our sons; the other son helps out when there's a project involving stone.

DS1 (an archaeologist) is also quite a gardener. He is very knowledgeable and very interested in all aspects of my garden. While he was teaching a college class this spring, he also worked part time at Fifth Season in Carrboro. He gave me some rooting compound this morning so that I can root some perennial heliotrope cuttings when I trim it back. He has dug holes and planted a lot of plants for me. He also excavated (archaeologists are really good at that) the area for our dining patio (fragrance garden) that we all built together. DS1 planted everything in the fragrance garden. He also helped my husband and I build the dry streambed. When he's between projects, he comes home. He came home yesterday from a dig in Pennsylvania. He's leaving in the morning for Israel, Jordan and Turkey. He'll go back to PA after that, then come home for a few days before going to Knossos, Crete on an archaeological dig with one of his professors from London.

DS2 (pharmacy student) isn't into gardening, but he likes to create hardscape. He laid ALL of the flagstone for the dining patio and the stepping stones throughout the outer garden. He loves to walk through the garden, but he's just not into actual gardening.

My husband (retired since June 2nd) does a lot of weeding. He sees a weed, he pulls it, on our daily strolls through the garden. He mulched this morning already. He helps me with the heavy lifting. He can't tell you the name of many of the plants, but he loves the garden.

Our favorite landscaper is Robert Radcliffe in Holly Springs. Robert did our landscaping at our previous house. At this house, Robert's crew built our water feature, the fence, the main flagstone path, the waterfall patio, the stone and steps to our front porch, the deck around our swimming pool, large trees such as the big willow, magnolia, cherry, deodar, hollies, etc. He's not into perennials, but he and I think exactly alike in terms of design. The man reads my mind! I basically give him free-rein (on a budget) whenever I ask him to do a project for me. He's that good. I've recommended him to a lot of folks and they've used him.

Wow, Cameron, your home and garden must be a prime location for a tour. Let us know if you are even included in one.

My son, who lives in Chapel Hill, no Indiana Jones like yours, has never lifted a finger in the garden. He'll be in his final year of law school, working for the federal public defenders office this summer. I could use a digger around here.

Thanks for sharing your techniques and "crew" with me. I'm so impressed with your gardens.

claire in sanford