Lovely Lavender! It Works!

The following post was written by a long-time customer of ours, who I also consider a friend. Millicent is a writer-photographer, you may have seen her work many of the local papers.

Thanks Millicent!

Lovely Lavender! It Works!
by Millicent K. Brody
Who'd ever think I'd be one of those who'd curse the day a dearly beloved, sweet, darling, Bambi would visit my yard? And my yard? We live in a typical Westfield neighborhood. There are no farms or fields surrounding our house. True the cemetery is not that far away, but it has been the same distance from our front door, since the day we moved into our home, some 47 years ago.
Each year I take pleasure in visiting Williams Nursery and buying an array of plants. I especially love lavender. I especially love yellow daisies, daffodils, and sunflowers. In addition to a June birthday gift of a gaggle of wonderful herbs, I always look forward to my writing group honoring my special day with an assortment of plants.
This year they delivered a beautiful hydrangea bush and an assortment of lilies. Because the plants arrived rather late in the day, I decided to put them in the ground the following morning. Bad decision. I thought I left them in a safe place directly in front of my door. (A safe place, but not safe enough.)
The following morning, they were all gone. Totally swiped down to the dirt. Not a bud or bloom, anywhere. I did not flinch. I dug holes and planted these poor wretched plants. I watered them and fed them. They grew. There were buds. However we hardly had a minute of beautiful pleasure. Along with their new growth, they hardly made the day. As soon as a bud appeared, it was gone. All the plants were gone. Chewed down to the quick! Nothing!
WAR!
In looking over the battleground one thing stood out. Not a bite was taken out of my lovely lavender. Not one bite!
Hmmm...I thought......Not a bite was taken out of my big, beautiful, blue, hydrangea bush, either. Hmmmmmmmmmm.
I called my friend Master Gardner Eleanor Dean of Bernardsville.
Her advice: "Deer do not eat blue or gray plants."
So what did I do? I returned to Williams Florist and purchased a full selection of lavender plants. Then I barricaded my yellow daffodils, daisies, lilies, and newest hydrangea bush.
So far so good.
Stay tuned.
Millicent K. Brody
writer-photographer
public relations consultant