Wild Iris Herb Farm Plant List
and GARDEN NOTES by LUCY :
* Gardening with the Local Critters
* Concerning Lyme Disease
PLANT LIST
Most of the listed plants are categorized by both their common and latin names
along with descriptions, season of bloom and available varieties.
The KEY explains the symbols used to designate plant characteristics
or sunlight preferences.
The list is to be regarded as a reference guideline only,
representing a general idea of what may be currently available at the farm.
At the bottom of the page there is a chart of Perennial Bloom Sequence.
This can be used to design for season long bloom in the garden.
At the farm when helping customers design their gardens, manager
Lucy Clarke uses the chart as a visual aid that customers can keep for a reference.
All plants are dug to order from the gardens, wrapped in newspaper and plastic.
No customer digging is allowed.
We do not ship plants.
Orders may be placed in advance and picked up at the customer's convenience.
The farm is open on Saturdays and Sundays
during the months of May and June
10am to 5pm (weather permitting)
Call Lucy for more information or to set up an appointment
at (603) 431-8438.
The Wild Iris Herb Farm Plant List is displayed in the photo album above.
Click on each frame to enlarge. Please be aware that each file is VERY large and may take considerable time to display.
We would be happy to send you a 'real' plant list through the US mail.
Send requests to lucy@wildirisherbfarm.com
or call lucy at (603) 431- 8438
GARDENING WITH THE LOCAL CRITTERS
The growing populations of deer and woodchucks throughout the Seacoast region have seriously challenged gardeners in recent years like never before. At Wild Iris Herb Farm we have plenty of critters who love to browse on many of our plants. I am sure that they think of us as their favorite cafeteria! With my twenty or so private gardening clients I have had the opportunity to gain experience beyond the herb farm in dealing with this problem.
I've tried many approaches to deal with the wildlife's love of annuals, shrubs and herbaceus perennials including repellents and netting. My preferred approach is just to avoid the favorite snacks of the 'wild bunch' and garden instead with the plants that they never or rarely chose to eat. This means compromise in the garden, but it also means peace over conflict.
During winter the stomachs of deer change to allow them to digest hard leafed shrubs. I protect established shrubs with (reusable) 7'x100' fine mesh black deer netting, available in most large garden centers. I can reach at the top, and rocks or stakes to hold it on the ground to created enclosures around the whole shrub. The deer will still push in towards the center but the bulk of the plant will be protected. I do sometimes fence off entire annual and perennial beds, but this is rarely effective. Woodchucks can ALWAYS get in. Deer just get caught up in the loose net and make a bigger mess, use twist ties or plastic covered wire to attach the netting as high as I often dragging it off. Bunnies seem to be rather easily intimidated by the 'invisible' net and it can be very effective as a cover over solid plantings of impatiens. It is important to keep deer netting well away from lawn mowers, as it is instantly sucked in and wraps around the blades.
Repellents during the growing season must be reapplied on all new growth. Rain proof repellents are not effective if the plant is actively putting forth new foliage. Some repellents may just make the entire yard smell so bad that animals will choose to go elsewhere, but if they have had a good dining experience in your garden in the past, I think they will return. The BEST defense is owning a LARGE dog who is allowed access to the garden area on a regular basis. For ethical reasons I refuse to support the use of urine repellents as this must require animals to be raised in captivity. At the farm we have had some success spreading dog hair (collected from animal groomers) and with the use of a repellent called Liquid Fence. We have used string soaked in 'Liquid Fence' to surround areas we wish to protect. It's always hard to tell the effect of our efforts as the critters seem to come and go year to year.
The first chore then is to identify the 'safe' plants. I find that I disagree with nearly every list I've seen of 'deer-proof' plants, and also find that I have to constantly amend my own conceptions as each season or new garden proves me wrong. Flexibility is key. The animals always seem ready to try something new, and it should be remembered that each member of what could be a large deer herd may have to have a nibble to discover a bad tasting leaf.
On the Wild Iris Herb Farm plant list I have included a KEY which distinquishes 'CRITTER-PROOF ' plants. ( It always needs to be amended as each year the critters change their habits.) Below is a new list which reflects my most recent experiences with deer and woodchuck-'proof' plants.
Some of the listed plants are not available at the Herb Farm, either because they tasted too good or the soil is not suitable for them.
I hope that this information will be of use in helping gardeners and wildlife to live together in peace.
Concerning Lyme Disease
In early April of 2006 I contracted Lyme Disease from a tick that probley came from a garden in Portsmouth, NH. At first I had a difficult time convincing a doctor to prescribe the antibiotic treatment that I needed. This was frustrating and a bit frightening. Since then I have encounted information in newspapers and on TV that is inaccurate and misleading about the disease and its' treatment.
Ticks that carry Lyme Disease are everywhere in our area now and precautions should be taken to avoid contracting the deisease. I make sure to check my whole body in a full length mirror, usually twice a day, and I also change my clothes after working outside. Washing clothing does not kill the tick, but a very hot dryer for 20 minutes may do the trick.
Knowing the facts about Lyme Disease is key. The most accurate information can be attained from the United States Center for Disease Control at their website ;
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/submenus/sub_lyme.htm
You should also be aware of how to safely and effectively remove a tick;
http://www.aldf.com/lyme.shtml#removal
Cuisine for the Critters
| NEVER EATEN | SOMETIMES EATEN | ALWAYS EATEN |
| ACONITUM (monk's hood) | ||
| ACHILLEA (all) | ALLIUM (garlic chives) | ALCEA (hollyhocks) |
| AEGOPODIUM (snow on the mountain) | ANENOME | AURINIA (basket of gold) |
| AJUGA | AQUILEGIA (columbine) | CAMPANULA |
| ALCHEMILLA (lady's mantle) | ASTER | CENTAUREA |
| ALLIUM (except garlic chive) | BRUNNERA | CHELONE (turtlehead) |
| ALTHEA (marsh mallow) | BOLTONIA | DELPHINEUM |
| AGASTACHE (licorice mint) | CONVALLARIA (lily of valley) | HOSTA |
| ANTHEMIS (chamomile, golden margarite) | COREOPSIS (some) | IBERIS (candytuft) |
| ARMERIA (sea thrift) | CHRYSANTHEMUM | POLEMONIUM (jacob's ladder) |
| ARTEMISIA (all) | DIANTHUS | POLYGONATUM (solomon's seal) |
| ARABIS | DICENTRA (bleeding hearts) | SIDALCEA |
| ASARUM (european ginger) | ECHINACEA | PHLOX |
| ASTER | ELECAMPANE | |
| ASTILBE | FERNS | |
| ACTAEA (cimicifuga) | GERANIUM (some) | |
| ARCTOSTAPHYLOS (bearberry) | HEMEROCALLIS (daylily) | |
| ARUNCUS ( Goat's-beard) | HIBISCUS (mallow) | |
| ASCLEPIAS (butterfly weed) | LIATRIS | |
| BERGENIA | LOBELIA (cardinal flower) | |
| CERASTIUM (snow in summer) | MACLEAYA (plume poppy) | |
| CERATISTUGNA (plumbago) | OENOTHERA (evening primrose) | |
| COMFREY | RUDBECKIA | |
| CORYDALIS | SEDUM | |
| DICTAMNUS | SORREL (french) | |
| DIGITALIS (foxglove) | TRADENSCANTIA | |
| DORONICUM ( lepard's bane) | VERONICA | |
| ECHINOPS (globe thistle) | VALERIAN | |
| EPIMEDIUM | VINCA MINOR | |
| ERYNGIUM (sea holly) | ||
| EUPATORIUM (joe pye weed) | ||
| EUPHORBIA (spurge) | ||
| FILIPENDULA | ||
| GALIUM (sweet woodruff) | ||
| HEUCHERA (coral bells) | ||
| HOREHOUND | ||
| HORSERADISH | ||
| HYSSOP | ||
| IRIS | ||
| LAMIASTRUM | ||
| LAMIUM (dead nettle) | ||
| LAVENDER | ||
| LEUCANTHEMUM (shasta daisy) | ||
| LIGULARIA | ||
| LIMONIUM (sea lavender) | ||
| LEMON BALM | ||
| LOVAGE | ||
| LUPINE | ||
| LYCHNIS (mullien pinks) | ||
| LYSIMACHIA (except red leafed) | ||
| MATRICARIA (feverfew) | ||
| MINTS | ||
| MERTENSIA (virginia bluebells) | ||
| MONARDA (beebalm) | ||
| NEPETA (catnips) | ||
| MARJORAM- OREGANO | ||
| PENNYROYAL | ||
| PENSTEMON | ||
| PEONY PEROVSKIA (russian sage) POPPY PHYSOSTEGIA RUE SAPONARIA SAVORY (winter) SWEET CICELY SWEET ROCKET THYMES |