The year after we built this house, in 2004, I planted hundreds of bulbs in the woodland in the front yard, where there’s leaf cover and high shade – perfect for crocus, daffodils and scilia. A hole had to be dug for each bulb. It was a lot of work but the vision of soft waves of color under the trees kept me going.
Unfortunately, the chipmunks had visions of dinner. Or maybe it was the squirrels. Each little hole was dug up again. Those critters worked as hard as I did!
Somehow, what the chipmunks left were a few white flowers. Perhaps they’re not as yummy? It’s a more subtle show of spring than I’d imagined, but it still makes me happy.
The chipmunks did miss a few of the blue and purple flowers, but I haven’t seen them yet this year.
I’m flying out to Ohio today for ClickerExpo, an animal training conference. Tomorrow I’ll get to take a behind the scenes look at the Cincinnati Zoo and learn how they train the cheetahs and elephants. Keep an eye on my Instagram page, where I’ll be posting photos! (I’ll also share on FaceBook.) And keep watching that page, because I have a feeling that when I’m back home next week, that one or two of those elusive purple flowers will have emerged and will be in bloom. I’ll try to get a photo before they hide away again.
If you plant bulbs again, sprinkle moth crystal flakes over the bulb before covering with dirt. Someone shared that trick with me years ago and it does deter the squirrels.
We had a wonderful show of yellow , white and purple crocus which appeared very early because of the mild winter, but the constant rain ruined them within a couple of days, such a shame. Mind you if the rain hadn’t got them the Sparrows or Pheasants would have eaten them, you can’t win. Have a great time…:)
Dang those critters! :) I can’t remember the name of the stuff, but there is something you can buy to put in the hole with your plants that will be absorbed by the roots to make the plant taste bad. Afraid I don’t remember what it is or how well it works. It was years ago that I stumbled across it and all I remember is that I couldn’t afford it! :D Have fun!
Maybe it was bloodmeal. I put it around my plants to keep deer away.
While you’re at the Cincy Zoo, try to convince them to never buy an elephant again. The saddest animals in captivity are whales and elephants, I believe. :(
And Polar bears….I always felt bad as a child, watching the polar bear in his cement enclosure in the Stanley park zoo in Vancouver. How can that be acceptable treatment for any animal?
How exciting. Have a good trip.