It’s nearly impossible to grow flowers or vegetables without ending up with a few animals in the garden. That can be super helpful at times, like when the birds snack on the slugs eating through your salad greens.
But some animals in the garden can be, shall we say, not so great. That’s what Bob McCray learned when his new puppy discovered the “flattened irises, mangled peonies, and crushed marigolds.” Let’s be honest, puppies might be the cutest thing ever, but you still don’t want them barreling through your flowers.
While Bob’s puppy was as cute as can be as it lay sleeping in the midst of the daisies, writer Emily Edwards had a very different adventure with animals in the garden. In her case, the animals weren’t cute at all.
Emily found that a horde of Japanese Beetles was greedily feasting on the “newly opened leaves” of her grapes when she decided she had the perfect solution to get rid of them.
Unfortunately, the solution didn’t work quite as well as Emily would have hoped. But thanks to her experience, neither you nor I need to suffer through the same mistake. Take a look at How (Not) to Get Rid of Beetles in the Garden. You’ll learn a thing or two about ridding your garden of beetles, and you’ll get a good laugh through Emily’s animated storytelling.
What about rabbits? They’re awfully cute, but also destructive. (You didn’t really want those strawberries, did you?) Usually, rabbits run away when you head to the garden, but writer Beth Surdut found out that sometimes, rabbits can be “very” friendly. When she goes to a neighbor’s garden to dig up unwanted plants to sell at her garden club’s fundraiser, hilarity ensues. Read Gardening Critters Gone Wild to find out just how friendly this rabbit was.
Feel free to stay a while and enjoy all the stories about animals in the garden we have to share below. And be sure to check out our Animals in the Garden Sampler while you’re here, which features a hand-picked selection of our favorite stories from this category.
While I spend a lot of time wallowing over winged Japanese beetles that devour my dahlias each Summer, they’re not the only aggressive flying pest that woes me. That’s right, I’m talking about birds in the garden. Four years ago, I planted four blueberry bushes, imagining a bounty of blueberries every Summer. I’d be serving […]
I don’t usually let garden bugs live in the house, but did I ever tell you about the time I had a pet spider? It wasn’t all that long ago, actually. The spider was small, maybe the size of a nickel. It was black with two bright green eyes that shone in the light. I […]
I’ve learned a lot about hummingbirds in the garden over the years. I’ve learned that they are not only incredibly beautiful creatures, but that they are also quite delicate. I’ve also learned that they are one of the most agile animals in the world – able to fly backward and upside down with ease. What […]
There aren’t many stories I read that make me both want to laugh and cry at the same time, but today’s story, The Cowbird Way, is such a sweet, funny (and a little sad) story about a misfit of a bird in the garden, and a gardener. I also learned a bit about birding in […]
Today’s story appeared to me ironically enough after I took some heat for suggesting marigolds might deter rabbits (among other pests like aphids). My experience gardening comes from real life, trial, and error, and conversations with my gardening friends and groups. Like anyone, I hear a good tip, I try it, and if it works […]
When I first heard about the Black Hollyhock, I’ll admit, I was skeptical. A black flower? In my butterfly garden? Surely, that was a joke. But let me tell you, this dramatic beauty has become an unexpected star of my pollinator paradise, drawing in butterflies like a floral magnet dressed in gothic attire. Now, you […]
Canada Geese seem almost idyllic, gliding across the sky in their V-formation, honking out, I don’t know, directions maybe? Normally, I love the idea of animals in the garden, or anywhere, but not too long ago, I went for a walk in a local park that’s well-known for hosting a large number of Canada Geese. […]
Did you know that there are entire books written for dogs in the garden? They call it dogscaping! This past spring we lost our pup suddenly at the youthful age of 10—practically middle-aged for a Goldendoodle. And while today’s story is about a lovely dog and the garden she loved, my story is a little […]
Once upon a time, when I was just a young lad, my father decided to embark on one of the most unique adventures of his life: monkey-sitting. It all began one sunny Friday afternoon when my father showed up at our doorstep with a mischievous glint in his eye and a furry friend in tow. […]
Most garden creatures are cute and even on the smaller side. Skunks have the most adorable little waddle. And even the most destructive chipmunks are still the sweetest looking things. Heck, deer, despite the fact that they can obliterate your garden, are fun to watch—they’re graceful and elegant even as they munch on your favorite […]
