I hope my southern brothers and sisters will not kick me to the North for this. Don't misunderstand. I love all that is southern, including the beautiful magnolias, amazing dogwoods, and of course, the gorgeous flowering azaleas. Here on Turkey Creek, however, the deer are the only ones who have enjoyed our azaleas. They actually nibbled them down to twigs and we finally gave up after multiple attempts. We tried all the tricks but I really think those deer were looking over our shoulders with their mouths watering, just waiting for us to throw the last shovel of dirt on the mound! That isn't the end of the story though...
We discovered knockout roses and decided to give them a try. We found out just how hearty and beautiful these roses can be. They have wonderful varieties , just like the southern azaleas. We planted our first rose about a year ago and have been so happy with the results. They grow quickly and need very little attention. The warm ( and even, hot) southern climate encourages blooming all summer and often longer. The best thing is...the deer haven't seemed interested in them ( not yet anyway). We have found that a few crazy squirrels had been digging and hiding acorns in the dirt but atleast they haven't eaten the plants!
We learned that putting newspaper around the plants not only keeps the weeds and grass out, but also has deterred the squirrels. We placed the paper, wet it completely, and covered
it with mulch. The results were perfect! I would love to hear from others with knockout rose experiences ...
