Baby Bulbs

successful hyacinth corner

There they are. Their newborn bulb heads crowning through mother earth's embrace.  Soon their charge upwards will outpace my ability to protect them from the ubiquitous deer. I patrol daily to catch the first sacrificed nibbles.

Then out comes the first of my arsenal; the Bobex. Foul-smelling as it is, the ultra-sensitive deer noses turn up at its offensive odour. The secret is to apply the noxious mixture in time for it to dry and absorb into the baby greenery. Their little perfect shoots cringe at the dosing, but it's for their own good. Without these defences the graduate flowers will be lucky to open whole, unchomped.

But if the rain can't wait to unleash itself, my next weapon must be engaged. Ugly but effective, the plastic plant trays are employed.  No rummaging snouts and sensitive deer lips can penetrate them as they shield the emerging blossoms. 

Crocus flowers are, it seems, a delicacy, but once grape hyacinths' flowers emerge, not a bite is taken. The poor beauties stand naked without their robes of greenery if those ruminants have any say, so there is an art to my body guarding.  

And so the season begins, complete with its frustrations and compromises. After all, our deer always get their share of those infant appetizers and we reap our rewarding show of survivors. Bring it on!

Saved these crocuses

chomped grape hyacinth leaves

kept these from the deer!

these babies need constant vigilence

lucky little snowdrops are distasteful apparently