Outdoorsy

We have had a few days of sunshine in a row here, and although it is wet and mushy, I have found a way to get the kids outside for at least an hour the past three days. I'm noticing that the flower beds where I worked clearing mulch a couple of weeks ago are suddenly springing forth with life. Green is popping up everywhere, and I feel the need to start getting into Spring landscape project mode.

This year I have a mind to rip everything out and replant. We are replacing our mulch with rock this year, so established plants will stay put. But the daylillies and irises and hostas need to be split, so I've decided to dig most of them out, replace the weed blanket and replant/reorganize the beds.

Every year at this time I face a dilemma...what to do about the daylillies. They are abundant, but I never, ever get to see them bloom. We have a serious pest problem around here called deer. And the deer think my daylilly beds are their own personal buffet.

I was inspired today by my plant hanger that holds a wind chime...perhaps if I put such hangers and chimes in high-volume-daylilly areas it might scare off the deer. I wonder if anyone has tried this. I really, REALLY don't want to have to fence the beds with chicken wire or anything because it seems to defeat the purpose of a flower bed for beautifying the lawn. But I want to see those suckers bloom, dang it! My mom has splits of all my varieties, and they bloom in abundance. That is what I want!!! How do I get that in this blasted deer sanctuary?!

I'm off to try to convince Olivia to clear out some beds with me for the duration of the boys' naptime. Quiet time outside is easier than quiet time inside on a day like today.