Thursday 26 January 2012

What's a gardener to do.

Dear Robert and Rosemary Rabbit,

You have dug holes in the lawn.    Some plants in the circular bed have been chewed and the roots exposed.    Your latrines now extend from one end of the garden to the other.
Whilst I try to sleep, you have your parties.
Have I not been patient?    Did I not feed you during the bad winters of 2010/2011?
Ten years of battles..........well the war is over.   I am waving my white flag.
I give in........you win :(

Yours sincerely
Lady in the farmhouse.



PS In case you are feeling smug dear bunnies,  Nella will not be waving her white flag :)

15 comments:

  1. Go Nella Go. Too bad she doesn't have Luna there to back her up. Luna thinks rabbits are meals. I rarely have a rabbit in my garden any more. They got the message from Luna that they weren't invited.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Lisa,

      Nella is a good girl and keeps numbers down.
      Unfortunately my neighbour has a large warren in her garden, and during the night, when they know they are safe, they venture into my garden.
      They have done a lot of damage this year....I am actually removing some of my cherished plants today, as I have not got the time to keep covering their roots or replanting them.
      I plan to give them to my brother for his garden.
      This winter I am making huge changes to the planting scheme......mainly due to the rabbits and our changing climate. Eventually it should make life a whole lot easier with regard to the garden :)

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  2. Oh dear!! I'm so sorry those bunnies are being so ungrateful again Cheryl. I do hope that, when you have completed the changes you plan, they won't find your garden quite so desirable and will move on. Such a shame though that you won't be able to grow favourite and much loved plants any more. I know how disheartening it is to see all your hard work destroyed. In my case it is on a much smaller scale and only involves snails and slugs but it is still frustrating.

    Now if only the Rabbits liked Ground Elder they could move in here for a while in the Spring... only for a while though ;-)

    Lovely photo of your little garden guard :-)

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    Replies
    1. Hi Jan,

      I do feel very disheartened at the moment, to be truthful.
      I have worked so hard to make this a wildlife garden. To help species that are in decline and much loved by me. Bees and butterflies are particularly important. To be positive I have done much research these last few months and have lots of ideas. Watch this space :)

      Ha!! I am sure they do not like Ground Elder Jan, otherwise it would not be such a problem everywhere :)

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  3. Hi Cheryl...this made me laugh, and I know it isn't funny but the way you tell it is...lol!!
    I have no problem with bunnies ..I haven't seen one in years since the Coyotes moved in ...it makes me sad..because I used to love to see them "in the woods" lol
    Have you tryed putting moth ball in the area..it sometimes work to keep animals away..of course it doesn't smell great!!!!!
    Grace
    Nella... you stand guard like a good doggie!!

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    1. Hi Grace,

      Moth balls now that is a new one on me.
      I may just give that a try....hmmmmm.
      Rabbits in the wood are great, just not in mine:)

      I have to laugh Grace, otherwise i might just cry at the moment :(

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  4. I'm glad to know that Nella remains on alert!

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    1. Nella is always, but always, on rabbit duty.
      She is highly intelligent when it comes to rabbits and stalks them. She will often hide in the wilder areas of the garden and then pounce.

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  5. Too bad. I thought the bunny problem was getting better - not worse. How rude of those rabbits next door! They should be grateful Mr. McGregor doesn't live where you do. He Just might put them into a rabbit pie!

    I hope your new plans for the garden work out well. Nella looks ready for action!

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    1. Hi Wendy,

      The rabbit problem never goes away. They are always around, Grrrrrrr!

      Perhaps I should hire a Mr. McGregor :}

      Have a good weekend.

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  6. I'm really glad that so far I don't have problems with either rabbits or moles. However a rather cute little brown rat appears to have taken up residence in a dry stone wall below the terrace. So long as he stays there and doesn't invite all his friends and relatives over I can live with that.

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  7. Hi Rowan,

    I also get field rats in the garden, Nella does keep them under control. The rabbit problem has incresed since the foxes disappeared.
    If I had a couple of rabbits I would not be too worried but sometimes before I go to bed, there can be anything up to a dozen.

    Bring back the foxes I say :)

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  8. Oh yes...bring back the foxes!
    I am sorry...I do understand. We have moles...Mike fights them all the time. The war with the squirrels is over. The squirrels won years ago!
    I try all sorts of tricky ways to grow tulips. The squirrels eat the bulbs every year. Thus I have taken to forcing indoors! I hope the squirrels have left my Swan Tulips alone.....
    I love the photograph of Nella. She is a beautiful pup. She looks as if she takes her rabbit patrol very seriously.
    Sherry
    Sherry

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  9. Too funny! You know a friend of mine insists that when something (insect, animal, etc) is "inconveniencing" her with their lifestyles, she simply asks them if they could perhaps take their antics elsewhere, where they won't be problematic for her. She swears that this does the trick! I was very skeptical about this, but last year when I had an ant invasion problem in the kitchen, I tried it and lo and behold it worked!! Worth a shot anyhow! And of course Nella looks quite devoted to her task so that should help :)

    XOXO
    D

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  10. Lol, that is pretty much the same speech I made to the groundhogs last spring! :)

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