Gardening around here is not for the faint hearted!

[madeleone]

Now that the weather is finally getting nice I've been busy in my flower beds getting them ready for summer. In the past week and a half I've spread 40 bags of mulch and it's looking good. During this process I've come to the conculsion that the local wildlife is trying to kill me. That I haven't had a heart attack yet is purely miraculous.

First a couple days ago,  I'm digging around under some leaves right next to the house, trying to pull out the hose so I don't bury it in mulch. I hear a strange rustling and all of a sudden the ground erupted in tiny furry bodies running in all directions. I'd unearthed a nest of baby bunnies, there must have been eight or nine of them, no bigger than about four inches long. Scared the crap out of me!

Then this afternoon I moved a bag of mulch by a post we have a bird feeder on. I started pulling out the long grass there, I had just pulled out a hand full and went to reach for more when I brush up against a coiled up snake! Eeeek! I'm not a fan. It was only a little garter snake so I know it's not dangerous, but it still scared me. I was jumping around and swearing like a crazy woman. Then the silly thing wouldn't move so I was afraid maybe there was an nest there too, but that was not the case. It finally slithered off with a little encouragement from me.

And last but not least I had at least three chipmunks jump out from around our front deck while I was doing stuff over there. And by this point I was jumping at any little rustle. One practically ran over my foot and I screamed like a little girl and started swearing again, the neighbors must surely think I'm insane over here. (luckily there's only one neighbor close enough to hear me, but I hate to think what they must be thinking. LOL!)

So anyway, that job is done. A lot of my perenials are coming up but it's too early to put out any pots with flowers as we still could have a frost so I'm waiting another week or so for that.

But I have been wanting to make a fairy garden so things for that were on my Christmas list and I got a cottage and some accessories. I now have enough to do a couple of areas. So here is picture of the one I did today. The wicker garden furniture was gift from the very lovely delphipsmith. A while back she posted some things she was looking for new homes for and I requested the wicker doll house set. This is the fairy garden by my front deck. I'm happy with how it turned out and will add more details to it as I plant more flowers and such around.

Comments

[nocturnus33]

Eeeeewwww snakes. I would have been scared too. There are some pretty flowers that repel snakes, the problem is that I can't recall their name. They are blue and look a little like garlic flowers. Let's hope my mind remember it.

(Pretty fairy home, I want one)

Edited:

Search it in google, it wasn't difficult to find: it is vulbaghia Violacea. I bought it on February and still has flowers even if we are in autumn and we had quite a few storms.

I find this link that must help you
http://www.hibiscuscoastseconds.co.za/natural-ways-repel-snakes/

[madeleone]

Yeah, it really startled me. I know these snakes can't hurt you but just 'bumping' into it freaked me out a bit. Still they are supposed to to be good keeping down bugs and pests, but thanks for the link, I'll keep it in mind.

[snapebraille4tu.livejournal.com]

I love the little fairy pond!
Ssssssssnakes frrrrrrrreak me OUT. It sounds like you have lots of wildlife around, mostly sweet! Happy Week Ahead! 😄

[madeleone]

Yes, we're in the country so lots of wildlife. I love it usually, but not when it's jumping out at me or laying in wait for me. LOL!

I loved the idea of a fairy garden and have young grandkids and thought they would get a kick out of the idea when they come to visit.

[blueartemis07.livejournal.com]

With me it is usually kittens or possums.

Adorable fairy garden!

[madeleone]

We haven't had possums in a while (now that I've said that one will show up). Our dogs used to scare them away but we lost both of our old lady dogs in the last year and a half.

I'm pleased with how my fairy garden turned out, I think the grandkids will get a kick out of it.

[dickgloucester.livejournal.com]

The last bunny we had in our garden was a dead one, with its throat ripped out. Cats, eh? *sigh*

Your fairy garden is delightful!

[madeleone]

Oooh, poor bunny, that's quite a gruesome discover, but I suppose cats will be cats. Our dogs used to hunt the wildlife, but we lost both our old lady dogs over the past couple years.

I'm pleased with the fairy habitat, lol. I'm hoping my grandkids will think it's fun.

[gelsey.livejournal.com]

Love the fairy garden!

Poor you! All that scary wildlife!

[madeleone]

I really do enjoy the wildlife normally, but not when it seems determined to give me cardiac arrest!

[shadowycat.livejournal.com]

I love the fairy garden! What did you use for the pond? It's a lovely blue. Hopefully the fairies will move in quickly and help to keep the wildlife away! Sounds like you had quite the time of it. I'd definitely have screamed if I unearthed a snake! Here I'm mostly chasing off deer and squirrels and neither one is particularly worried about me so my efforts aren't always very successful. Good luck with your garden plans! :D

[madeleone]

Thanks! The pond is blue glass 'stones', I got a couple packs from the dollar store, I think they're used mainly for fillers in vases and such. I'm having fun with setting up my fairy environment, I have enough stuff to make a neighboring cottage around the other side of the house. :)