Oh I'm just spittin' mad. We've had so much snow this year that the deer are just ravenous. I planted a nice-sized climbing hydrangea last year and babied it all year. I'm not a patient gardener by any means but for this special plant I resolved to be patient. It grew great last year and had just made it to the tree it will be climbing up. I wrapped it up in plastic netting for the fall and winter (to protect from critters). Unfortunately we lost a branch of a cedar tree near it and we can't get to the branch at this point to clean it up, so the deer have been having a field day on the Cedar branch. I guess that wasn't enough for them because I know see they've been gnawing my climber though the netting. So now I'm going to have to be even MORE patient with this plant. I'm so upset. But we've had such a bad winter I have a feeling we're going to have a lot of loss in the garden.
Ack ... deer got my climber
Twonewfs, Darn deer. I haven't seen one since December, but I noticed foot prints out in the yard the other day, so they'll probably be out in droves soon. I hope your hydrangea will make it.
I have an unusual lily plant that I've been waiting 3 or 4 years now to see the bloom. Every year, the buds would start. I would spray it with whatever is available on the market, then it would rain one night and I would come out the next morning to find the buds eaten!!! Hate those things! I quit planting pansies 'cause they were being eaten. They even eat some rose buds.
The quote I've heard about deer is: When they're hungry they'll eat anything. Sad, but true.
Rabbits have eaten on anything green here this winter.