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| What I found alongside a large hole in the ground |
I planted this Teucrium betonicum last night. It was one of 3 I put in in my backyard border after pulling a few sun-burned foxgloves. One plant was still intact, the second (the one shown above) was desiccated beyond resurrection and the third was nowhere to be found. Maybe I should have known I was pushing my luck last night. I'd planned to add raccoon repellent to my new plantings after I watered them in but time was short (and I'd forgotten I promised to make dinner). And, thus far, my experience had been that the raccoons don't dig in wet soil. Anyway, I took a chance and I paid for it.
Here's what the plant should look like:
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| The unmolested Teucrium betonicum, now surrounded by raccoon repellent granules |
After cleaning up after the raccoon, I was disheartened and not really in the mood to cut flowers. I managed to put a simple bouquet together using some of the same materials I've used in my last 2 bouquets.
Yes, more Shasta daisies (Leucanthemum x superbum), which I have a lot of right now. And more Agapanthus, which I also have a lot of. I added one white Agapanthus to the more familiar blue forms in preparing this bouquet. Lupine cruickshankii 'Sunrise' was intended to tie the arrangement together but, as the cut blooms are small relative to the other flowers, I don't think they carry the combination. I added some mint bush (Prostanthera ovalifolia 'Variegata') cuttings as filler but they also blend into the arrangement. It needs more. I probably should add some Geranium 'Brookside' and maybe some Salvia 'Mystic Spires' but it's dark now and too late to fumble around in the unlit backyard. And, who knows - I could come face to face with another rampaging raccoon. This bouquet will have to do as is.
Please go to Erin's site for pictures of more well-assembled bouquets.
Shastas and Agapanthus, lovely. Omit apologies for what you didn't do and we won't know.
ReplyDeleteI have a tendency to apologize for everything, NellJean. It's something that must have been instilled in me as a child and, try as I might to present a strong persona, I'm afraid I lapse. (Am I doing it again?)
DeleteI love the blue and white combination; beautiful! Here's the way Michael Pollan described the visit of raccoons to his garden in Second Nature: "Compared to the cat burglaries of deer and woodchucks, this looked like the work of the Manson family." -Jean
ReplyDeleteExactly! They're furry psychopaths!
DeleteOh, those raccoons! I have had my own run-ins with them. I have some seedling trees in small pots, and they like to dump them out!
ReplyDeleteSupposedly, they're looking for grubs but I think some are just plain mean.
DeleteThose stinkers! What nasty raccoons. You ended up with a great bouquet. I'm sort of enjoying seeing how you can use the same materials and end up with unique bouquets each week. I do love the agapanthus!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to have the opportunity to participate, Erin. Thanks for hosting the Garden Appreciation Society!
DeleteI have shasta daisies, too, but mine are less fluffy. Your bouquet is a beauty. :o) Can you put a fence around the plants to at least frustrate and slow down the raccoons? My bird netting fence might work but I've never battled racoons before. You need something you can bury in the soil that will pop on impact, almost like BB blasts. It will scare the crap out of them and maybe they'll go eat someone else's garden.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid I'd have to fence every new planting as there's not a lot of rhyme nor reason to the raccoon's selection process. Some people recommend motion-activated sprinkler systems - I have to look into how pricey those are. (And then, I'll have to train myself to turn them off in the morning so I don't end up soaking myself). The repellent granules do seem to work but I admit they're rather stinky.
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