Starting Again

After 30+ years of gardening I’m starting over on a new property.  This is my third “blank slate” and the largest I’ve had.  When I started my last garden, I was careful not to use any plants that are enthusiastic spreaders…’Goldsturm’ Rudbeckia? No thank you.  But now I have space!  And it’s a tad intimidating I must say.   I draw out plans for other people’s gardens all the time, but for myself, it’s done in my head. Thinking it all out is part of the fun.  The curly willow here or here?  And where to place the weeping Parrotia that’s been in a pot for three or four years?   In order to protect all the potted plants in the winter I grouped them together, piling small pots on top of large ones, and surrounded the entire group with hay bales.  The garden center had them leftover from a Halloween maze, after all, so they were a good deal.  I broke some of the bales up and scattered the hay over the pots. A perfect plan, right?  ”Yes!” the mice cheered.  Now that I’m pulling the hay off the pots I see that I created the perfect, protected place for rodents to live, and eat over the winter. Every Echinacea is gone (The mice probably heard that the roots boosted their immune systems…)  and I’m fearful that they ate all the Hosta as well.  Oh well - I’m starting over…with a new garden, new plants, and new  (wellfed) mice.