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A Writer's Garden, Author Catherine Castle's garden blog, cozy mystery, Emma Janis Lane, Murder on Blake Hill, Rabbit resistance plants
Your Neighborhood Matters
My work in the nursery brings me in contact with different gardeners. One anecdote I have will prove to you that your neighborhood matters.
A pleasant lady requested perennials which were ‘rabbit resistant.’ No problem, we said. The very next week she was back. We tried again. This went on for three weeks, each time she observed the wild bunny munching on the new perennial. (I’ll list some examples later.) Finally we gave up and refunded her money. We researched and yes, those plants were listed, but, of course, resistant does not mean fail safe.
Time marched on. Later, as we drove down her street, a light bulb sparked over my head. Did you guess it? The poor wild bunnies had no other food than to eat what they could find, even if they didn’t prefer the taste. No wild plants in the gardens; no clover or other wild plants mingled in the lawns.
Every single lawn in the entire neighborhood had been chemically treated. It must have been a source of community pride to have grass so green and pure.
It’s a personal preference. I’ve never been a fan of chemical solutions. Our lawn is a mixture of grass, clover, broad weeds and dandelions. In the spring, it blooms yellow. We love it. The bunnies love it. Weeds are kept under control by mowing. A mixture like this will survive drought much better. Neighbors needn’t be informed you are spraying something noxious on your property, and you don’t have chemicals where you and your children walk and play. For me, that’s the biggest advantage of all, plus we love watching the wild life hopping around on the lawn. They love the clover and dandelions. Rabbit Resistant Perennials: Veronica, Siberian iris, Salvia, Peony, Allium, Astilbe, Baptisia, Bee Balm, Lavender, Yarrow, Foxglove, Daffodil, Catmint. (and many more!)
About the Author:
Emma Janis Lane lives in Western New York where winter is snowy, spring arrives with rave reviews, summer days are long and velvet, and fall leaves are riotous color. She writes Regency Romance as Emma Lane, but also delights in dipping into a Cozy Romantic Mystery, pen name Janis Lane.
Her most recent foray into Cozy Mystery is Murder on Blake Hill, where disconcerting events disturb the peaceful town of Hubbard, New York, but Detective Kevin Fowler and his staff are on the job, even as shocking secrets are revealed.
Part owner of a plant nursery, she will answer gardening questions at her website emmajlane.com
You can also connect with her on Twitter
Catherine Castle 
great story! I’m finding the same is true for bees. I put in milkweed and told the older man next door he could spray when he saw nests. Hi wife took the sprayer away because she likes the butterflies. The whole environment counts!
Yes! Kathy. Hopefully this will catch on as there’s been some noise about weed killer lately.
EJL
I put milkweed in for the monarch butterflies and I never use chemicals. It is a problem most years with my roses. Black spot is tough to control.
Thanks for the story. I feel sorry for the bunnies!
I know, Dawn. Never would have believed it if I hadn’t seen it.
EJL
Thanks for the post, Catherine. I love your site. <S
EJL
Thanks. It’s always a pleasure to host you.
So good to meet you here. I’m going to check out your website, and also think it’s cool you use a different name for the different genres, Emma.
Thanks, gkittleson. I think gardeners are very special people.
Loved this! We do not treat as well. The grandkids love the nature running around too!
Never thought about all that. Thank you so much for this enlightening article!
You are welcome, Barbara. Catherine maintains a superb hangout for gardeners to share information.