I remember coming to back “home” to Austin from California. Having lived here for twelve years prior to setting out on 9 month sailing adventure and finally settling in the moderate and fertile climate of southern California, I realized I was just a neophyte in terms of gardening upon returning. That’s because during those first twelve years in Austin we had lived a little bungalow in Tarrytown where everything grew - it was near the river, had nice acid soil, and in many ways was like Louisiana where I grew up. Even the roaches reminded me of Louisiana; their presence had little to do with housekeeping, and everything to do with years of ivy growth, moisture, and trees. The difference is these buggers could fly - and read! (You don’t believe it? Go ahead, pull out a can of Raid and watch them attack like a bomber pilot.) I’m not trying to frighten you – just letting you know that the presence of roaches is not necessarily bad Feng Shui, it’s just the Shui t it is near the river. All that time, I never knew that that rich, fertile soil around our bungalow was actually an oasis in a sea of caliche – and until I moved back the terms “caliche pick,” deer repellent, scorpions, etc. had never even been blips on my radar screen.
We returned in May the year of the great Memorial Day flood of 1981. Having lived for three years near the beach south of LA where every day was clear and 75 degree, and where you grow a bean stalk in a week, I was unprepared for the onslaught of critters and fickle Texas weather. Feng Shui literally translated, means “wind” and “water.” That year there was plenty of Shui (water) and it all came down in a few weeks. Then there was good Feng (wind), followed by drought. You get used to this – it’s part of the excitement of spring here. And the deer, oh how adorable they were. My first born turned one that year, making the little fawn that wandered onto our patio ever more enchanting. Good Feng Shui.
What could be closer to Nirvana? That was before the scorpion fell out of the ceiling fan, the granddaddy longlegs pulsed in unison under the shady eves of the house, and the fawn’s MAMA decimated the delicate little plants I planted - even on the deck. It reminded me of what hardy stock the pioneers must have been – and this was BEFORE my discovery of - you guessed it – the caliche pick. To those of you unfamiliar with caliche, it’s a “technical” term for the type of “soil” in the hill country – lots of big limestone/fossil rocks bonded like cement with hard, alkaline, low nutrient smaller rocks. This is not stuff you dig with a shovel. A pick-ax or blasting caps work nicely, but a caliche pick is the weapon of choice. It’s a 6 foot steel spike held vertically and allowed to drop from as high as you can lift it, thus breaking up the caliche by repeated poundings. The good news is that once you’ve created a pit in the caliche, there are quite a few drought loving, deer-resistant shrubs and trees that thrive in such a spot. Yes, it helps if you trick the plants into staying with an appetizer of nice rich dirt, but once they get a taste of caliche, they like it. It’s an acquired taste.
So what’s this have to do with Feng Shui? I’ll tell you. Remember that Feng Shui is about living in harmony with one’s environment and here in central Texas it helps if you don’t try to create a “house beautiful” garden of roses and sweet tender leafed “deer food.” City dwellers can sometimes do this, those who live in the neighborhoods close to downtown where the wildlife is not an issue. But if you’re lucky enough to live in the hills, where the deer and the Road Runners roam, you’ll need a good sense of humor and a list of non-edible plants. I’ve spent a small fortune feeding the several herds, and I do love them. But from this experience I developed this short list of deer “diet food,” meaning they’ll either eat it only as a last resort or not at all.
A good rule of thumb is: pinch the leaf and sniff. If it has a pungent fragrance or odor (like rosemary or
Juniper), the deer don’t usually like it once it gets established. (When first planted, deer are sometimes attracted to the minerals in the potting soil.) Here is a partial list of plants I know deer have not eaten.
Another thing, don’t let thorns fool you, because they don’t fool the deer. I’ve seen deer trim a 5 gallon pyracantha down to a mere image of it’s former self. The trick? Nibble down to the point that the thorns prick the nose. Texture is less important, but fuzzy can be a turn off. Fencing helps, but like Superman, they can graze tall buildings and 8-foot fences to get to something tasty.
Forget about trying perfume, human hair cuttings, bells, blood meal, etc to scare them off. These hill country deer are savvy. They know it’s a ploy, have plenty of people friends, and are generally unimpressed by your efforts. If you’re thinking of feeding them because they’re cute, and besides, then they won’t eat your landscape…. think again. First, feeding the deer upsets the natural balance of things – it causes them to forget how to forage, it defeats natural selection, and it hazardously lures them into high traffic areas. Not good Feng Shui. And when you’re gone or fail to feed them, be prepared to have your yard stripped.
By far the easiest route, the politically correct route, and one that honors the environment in which you live is to plant wisely and leave yourself time to enjoy your yard, the deer and weekend drives to see the wildflowers. With the money you save from not having to re-landscape, you can add that deck you’ve always wanted, plant another tree or become a wildlife photographer!
Good Feng Shui is about living in harmony with your environment
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