chicken-proof plants?
meliflora
19 years ago
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Pookiesmom
19 years agoPookiesmom
19 years agoRelated Discussions
What would you do with this garden?
Comments (10)Frankie, your concerns and approach probably most closely mirror the internal debate I went through before redesigning the plantings. I did end up adding several fruit trees to the right side of the driveway, removing that entire lawn area, and combined these with artichokes, roses and lavenders mixed with annuals and succulents to replace the lawn area, and a fence with grape vines along the side property line. If I had my druthers, I probably would have added some more formal parterres of boxwood or clipped/hedged English Lavender as well, but the owner wasn't really concerned about it not fitting in. You are absolutely correct that the front yard area has the most sun, although the raised veggie beds in the back garden will eventually expand into the adjacent lawn area, or at least I've suggested this. The owners also intend to demolish the large existing raised deck and do a smaller deck landing and stairs down to the garden below, not really liking the effect of being above the garden and exposed to the neighbors view as it is now. Chickens are intended to be confined to the backyard only, and we have had some initial problems with them eating new plants. I think they are getting back for having been confined in that small coop for the past month! Previously they were more selective about the damage they caused, and I guess I wasn't cautious enough about some of the new selections. I've asked the owners to keep them confined to one area in the back garden for at least the first 6 weeks, to give the new plantings time to get some size and better resist their pecking at them. The front lawn may eventually be converted to a lower water use no-mow lawn/meadow, as it is mostly weedy grass species and dandelions at present, and while we did take out a fair amount of overgrown and straggly former hedges that had become small trees in the back garden near the fountain, removing or relocating trees in front were not in play. I agree with KarenL that that flowering cherry isn't the best placed tree, nor well shaped, but I worked with it and the dogwoods as a given. The Coast Live Oaks will be significantly thinned come fall, which will make them seem less oppressively massive, and also benefit the understory plantings below. Painting fences isn't done much here, unless it is more the picket fence style, and personally the contrast between raw redwood aged to gray and the house doesn't bother me, I see it as the norm around here. My take on Victorian style gardens taken into the present is to continue the ecclectic planting choices common to the era, but also try and give a bit more continuity to the design. If there hadn't already been so much mature plantings that demand summer irrigation to thrive, I would have steered this garden towards more drought tolerant plants and California natives. It wouldn't have worked well with so many Hydrangeas, Japanese Maples, Flowering Dogwoods all accustomed to spray irrigation, so I only converted the hell strip to drip irrigation, and everything else was left as conventional spray irrigation. I am hoping that at some point there will be a phase two with this front garden, switching out the lawn, adding a colorful perennial flower/shrub border across the lawn at the street, perhaps a new gate at the front walk, planting up the hellstrip, etc. I don't think I'll add any photos for this garden until it has filled in a bit. Not much charm in seeing lots of mulch and tiny plants, but it will be an explosion of color in another 6 weeks or so. Also not a pretty sight to see how I hacked back transplanted roses and hydrangeas to bare stubs after moving them around, and was also very rough with my moving/dividing perennials such as Alstroemeria, Achillea, Tulbaghia, Anemone japonica, etc. Fortunately as the client already knows the results I can get even when things first planted don't look "prime", I didn't have to be worried that the garden looked full of cut back bare stems. Even 5 foot tall artichokes were cut back to the roots after moving them, but I'm confident they will look great again in just a month or so. One of the pleasures of working in such a balmy coastal climate, Alameda has spring-like weather without heat waves nearly all summer long. The photo link is of one of the perennials I've added throughout the front planting beds for a blast of purples and blues next spring, Florist Cineraria which self sows like a weed here, and stays in bloom for 4 to 5 months in winter through late spring, and is great foliage filler when not blooming. Here is a link that might be useful: Perennial color for shade...See Morepredator proof chicken coop...
Comments (16)No, not all chicken owners have lost their entire flock to predators.... We have 2 means of keeping our chickens safe. The first is livestock guardian dogs that keep all our animals safe including chickens and ducks. Of course this means the dogs have to have access to the birds, meaning wing clipping would be appropriate for free rangers. Our chicken coop is predator proof, 'cept maybe a bear if one had the notion. It has a cement floor, 2 windows with both 1x2 welded wire & hardcloth 1/2x1/2 wire. The entrance exterior door (for inclement weather) is solid wood, the interior entrance door (for nice weather) is wood frame, with cross-braces and hardwire 1/2x1/2 wire. This wire has been inplace for at least 15 years probably much more. There is evidence something has tried to get in, but has not succeeded as it is stapled well, and the cross braces on each corner & across the center keep it from being pushed in. Works extremely well. Your A-frame sounds wonderful, given a proper floor, but I think I would opt for a design that would utilize the sidewalls better as the bottom corners would be unuseable on an A-Frame unless it was on a high base. Just a thought. Brendasue...See MorePeacock Proof Plants
Comments (4)When I first read this post, I thought maybe peacocks would cause the same damage as chickens (digging up new plants/seedlings), but after searching online, I see that they can really do some damage! I didn't find any specific lists, but part way down this article, there are some good plant choices, as well as a natural deterrent. But, from what I've read, if there's a female, and she feels like nesting, she might find the middle of a nice garden bed the perfect place to do so. :( I know I've had to find a way to get chickens out of my yard because of the damage they do. Running and screaming at them didn't seem to help, and they really like the nice shower from the hose. I will say that the only thing that's worked is a light ping from a BB gun. I don't shoot to kill or injure, and one ping in the rear sends them squawking over the fence. :) Good luck to you! Brenda...See Morerabbit proof plants, bulbs anyone...?
Comments (2)We have both rabbits and deer. Sometimes it's hard to say who ate what. Currently they are surprising me by eating the tops from winter onions. They are not supposed to do that but each animal can have individual tastes. Or it could be the voles. I have to cage most of my vegetables and many of my fruits. They especially love eating plum trees and apple trees. That's the deer. Rabbits eat the stems from my young fig trees. In my yard, they don't touch bearded irises, daffodils, anemones, helleborus, or hyancinthoides - bluebell bulbs. I think the rabbits are what ate the grape hyacinths. They eat tulips down to the ground. They usually leave alliums alone but something ate some buds from a few alliums last year. Those were the gigantic type alliums. They left the smaller ornamental alliums alone. Chives and garlic chives have very nice flowers and I plant those too. Along the edges of some raised beds, I have a row of garlic chives and anemones to deter rabbits. I don't know if they help or just make me feel better. Hope that helps. Here is a link that might be useful: rabbit resistant plants...See MoreBethany_Z5
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