Dagummit! A newly planted variegated Japanese kerria (Kerria japonica ‘Fubuki-nishiki’) was nibbled by deer the night it was planted a month ago. I could not imagine that a skinny twig with only a few leaves would be worth the bother, but I suppose deer must sample choice morsels whenever they are found. Weeks after being striped bare, a handful of new leaves grew, only to be eaten again last night.

Now, I hope there’s enough vigor remaining for a third batch of leaves, and certainly I won’t be so stupid as to let this happen a third time. Won’t I?

I am quite pleased that in several newly planted areas, planted after large evergreens were removed, everything is alive and well. I am often negligent in caring for scattered new plantings, but a larger, newly replanted area is more obvious and less easily forgotten. Fortunately, since watering the garden is very far down on my list, regular late summer rainfall has provided a tremendous assist.

I am surprised, though I shouldn’t be, that areas where a large yew and Alaskan cedar were removed are now so sunny. Previously, this was a dark corner standing beside the shade of the forest that borders the garden. The evergreens came down and suddenly there are periods of sun at midday and late afternoon. Between the two evergreens a long planted area was not disturbed, and despite the periods of sun, these show no ill effect going from what was shade to part sun.

I expect that the increased sunlight will increase flowering of camellias (above) and Oakleaf hydrangeas, that hardly bloomed a few years ago before a maple came down in an ice storm. Now, scattered flowers should increase to more typical flowering, back to the days when forest trees did not lean far over this part of the garden.

Already, I look forward to next year. There is plenty to enjoy before winter’s dormancy, but every gardener is anxious to see his new plantings after the first spring’s growth. That is, if I can remember to keep the deer away.