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Thanks for all the suggestion!
I'm a lazy gardener. I've had large beds, foundation evergreens and even a hillside of flowers beds, shrubs and ivy. At the previous house in suburban Maryland I've also had peonies and just let them "flop."
I know me. I'm not staking. I'm not caging. I'm not laying chicken wire to keep squirrels away.
I'm not putting in any extra effort other than planting, cutting back for winter, sprinkling some fertilizer when I feel like it, and mulching.
I choose plants that you put in the ground and can't kill. (Not literally of course. But plants that don'e have a lot of pests, and aren't picky about conditions.) At the previous house and this one -- I've had great success with my day lilies, sedum autumn joy, hyacinths, lavender, salvia, and irises....they just don't keep critters away.
BUT where I am now I also need plants that -- if they can -- naturally repel cats, dogs, squirrels and skunks.
I had rabbits and chipmunks at my previous house that were not as much trouble as the damn cats, dogs, squirrels and skunks.
I don't like daffodils at all. BUT they're squirrel resistant so in the fall that may be what I plant.
Right now, this spring I'll see if I can't find some dwarf peonies -- plants -- not bare root....and I'll see what I can find and like from the list below. BUT many of those listed below are for fall planting, not spring. So we'll see.
(And I'll layer the cayenne and mothballs)
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From earlier post:
((I just found this list of plants -- I'll just say -- are not favorable to:
-- cats: daffodils, narcissus, crocus, cyclamen, lilies, oleander
-- dogs: tulips, lily of the valley, oleander, amaryllis, hyacinth, iris, daffodil
-- squirrels: Daffodil. Allium. Bleeding Heart. Irises. Galanthus. Dianthus. Goldenrod. Lily of the Valley.
-- skunks: Not poisonous but will repel: Summer Squash (leaves),Crown imperial (Fritillaria imperialis), Stinging Nettle, daffodil,
-- opossums: chrysanthemums, mint bushes, geraniums and daisies, agapanthus, citronella varieties, lavender and rosemary, peppermint or ammonia smells, Cerastium tomentosum, ‘English ivy,’ Soleirolia solierolii: ‘Baby's tears’, Hibiscus syriacus, oleander, viburnum, acanthus, agapanthus, bergenia, ‘Angels Trumpets’))
Here is an aromatic plant that smells almost but not quite like mothballs or camphor, it's an evergreen plant with really attractive curly foliage and seasonal yellow or white button flowers. Animals of any type and most insects will not go near it because of the camphor smell. It used to be utilized as an aromatic strewing herb or for putting bundles of the dried herb in closets, dressers, kitchen cabinets and pantries because it repels insects, rodents and other critters. I actually really like the smell and when I trim it I give the trimmings to neighbours who use bundles of it to repel silverfish or spiders in their kitchens, bathrooms or closets.
It's called santolina, also sometimes called cotton lavender or lavender cotton but it isn't actually related to either lavender or cotton. I have some of this growing in the yard, it's very easy to care for, is resistant to drought, heat and freezing temperatures. The only thing I do with it once a year is trim back some of the new growth so it stays neat looking and doesn't get too long and flop over but it isn't essential to trim it if you don't want to.
Thank you for this! I don't think I've ever seen it but the website says that it grows in my zone. It would be a big help with the critters in my area, too. Plus the yellow would look great in my garden.
I've been hesitant to grow any kinds of herbs (other than the lavender) because I wasn't confident the skunks and possums wouldn't come and eat it!
The other day a squirrel was right up on my neighbor's porch railing, chipping on whatever he had like he was sitting in his living room. Just as nonchalant and unconcerned as you please! I walked toward the steps and he didn't even give me a look.
Aren't they great! I first used them when skunks invaded my feed room back in the day when I had horses and sheep at home. I called Fish and Wildlife then and followed their instructions. Now it's my go-to. Glad it worked for you!
Thanks for all the suggestion!
I'm a lazy gardener. I've had large beds, foundation evergreens and even a hillside of flowers beds, shrubs and ivy. At the previous house in suburban Maryland I've also had peonies and just let them "flop."
I know me. I'm not staking. I'm not caging. I'm not laying chicken wire to keep squirrels away.
I'm not putting in any extra effort other than planting, cutting back for winter, sprinkling some fertilizer when I feel like it, and mulching.
I choose plants that you put in the ground and can't kill. (Not literally of course. But plants that don'e have a lot of pests, and aren't picky about conditions.) At the previous house and this one -- I've had great success with my day lilies, sedum autumn joy, hyacinths, lavender, salvia, and irises....they just don't keep critters away.
BUT where I am now I also need plants that -- if they can -- naturally repel cats, dogs, squirrels and skunks.
Why not just get a ground covering evergreen shrub. Yew, Juniper. It won't repel any of those things but it will grow thick enough that they really won't be able to mess with it. Hit the edge with a weedwhacker once a year and be done with it. We had it along the side of our house growing up (Juniper) and no one liked messing with it.
Thank you for this! I don't think I've ever seen it but the website says that it grows in my zone. It would be a big help with the critters in my area, too. Plus the yellow would look great in my garden.
In real life, it is not a terribly attractive plant after the first year - I have seen it around and in my view it looks more like a weed. Copied this from the site below...just thought you should be aware...
I grow it in my Zone 8B garden where the sandy soil is slightly acidic. Performance is enhanced by the addition of a bit of lime to the soil. I have grown santolina for years, but it never looks quite as good as plants I have seen in other places. While I enjoy growing santolina for its fragrance and for its use in crafts, I suspect that it does better in parts of the country where the humidity is not as high and the soil is a bit more alkaline.
After a few years, santolina tends to split open in the center. Discourage this condition by pruning in early spring before new growth begins. Plants that are pruned drastically in spring most likely will not bloom, but such shearing will rejuvenate the plant. Remove flower stalks when bloom is finished and they have become unsightly.
Despite efforts to keep the same plants in the garden over long periods of time, they eventually reach the point where they are so leggy and open-centered that they are no longer attractive. Then is the time to replace them with fresh young plants for several more years of enjoyment.
In real life, it is not a terribly attractive plant after the first year - I have seen it around and in my view it looks more like a weed. Copied this from the site below...just thought you should be aware...
I grow it in my Zone 8B garden where the sandy soil is slightly acidic. Performance is enhanced by the addition of a bit of lime to the soil. I have grown santolina for years, but it never looks quite as good as plants I have seen in other places. While I enjoy growing santolina for its fragrance and for its use in crafts, I suspect that it does better in parts of the country where the humidity is not as high and the soil is a bit more alkaline.
After a few years, santolina tends to split open in the center. Discourage this condition by pruning in early spring before new growth begins. Plants that are pruned drastically in spring most likely will not bloom, but such shearing will rejuvenate the plant. Remove flower stalks when bloom is finished and they have become unsightly.
Despite efforts to keep the same plants in the garden over long periods of time, they eventually reach the point where they are so leggy and open-centered that they are no longer attractive. Then is the time to replace them with fresh young plants for several more years of enjoyment.
Thanks! Much to consider. The similarity to a weed isn't appealing at all. I've seen other plants like that (names not coming to mind right now) but I always wonder why anyone would plant the scraggly thing.
My native soil is clay and I'm in a drought-prone area, both of which were indicated as OK according to Dave's Garden. So the person who posted in your link might be right regarding humidity and sandy, acidic soil. The maintenance/replacement situation doesn't thrill me, though. I'll talk with my local nursery and see what they think. I'm only considering one or two so it may still work.
I appreciate your first-hand point of view . . . I always like to learn about personal experiences.
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