It’s TIME.  It’s been a “long lonely winter”

Winter at Fishhawk Lake

 and I am SO ready to welcome spring!!!! (I hope Mother Nature’s listening).

(A butterfly in my water feature)

 We went to the semi-annual Home and Garden Show in Portland, at the Expo Center and saw our dear friend, Elmer Aranda, owner of All Nature’s Construction (https://fishhawklakerealtor.wordpress.com/2011/01/10/a-where-to-go-who-to-call-guide-to-resources-for-fishhawk-lake-homeowners/.) He is an award-winning landscape “artist” and an all-around great guy. He’s coming out to do a re-vamp of our landscaping at our new lakefront home on Fishhawk Lake. He’d done a gorgeous water feature for our old place off the lake and we always got compliments on it. I even had calla lilies blooming last summer when it was up for sale!

Our water feature in front the our old home (sold 2010)

Elmer and I talked about deer-resistant plants when we first put our heads together to create our water feature over five years ago. I’d like to share with you some ideas of deer-resistant plants because we have a plethora of deer out here at Fishhawk Lake and they DO get extra hungry when it’s been a tough winter. They will march around your yard rather brazenly unless you have dogs.  Because I have two Golden Retrievers, I never had any problems as a result. It’s also nice to enjoy all of the plants that you work so hard on planting in the spring. Below is a list:

Young buck at Fishhawk Lake

Rhododendrons, lavender, barberry, daylilies, mugo pine, Japanese pieris (see photo below), ornamental grasses, these are just a few plants and shrubs that I had planted or were already here at Fishhawk Lake and the deer weren’t interested in them. Some perennials to plant:

Astilbe, Sage, Foxglove, purple or whitish (it grows wild out here)

 Foxglove in various colors

 Siberian Iris, Lamb’s Ear, Heavenly Bamboo…a variety of color and texture that are hardy and grow easily, although some will need more direct sunlight, like Iris. St. John’s Wort looks really cool as they are a low, shrub-like plant, but get these yellow plume-like flowers—adorable!

Maples are a great tree, too, both large and small and can come in a variety of colors, with leaves that change throughout the season.

Small  red maple in our water feature

Maples come in an abundance of colors, red, green, amber

(this one, above is a dwarf red maple and has the mist rising from Fishhawk Lake in the background)

Fall foliage at Fishhawk Lake

Pieris Japonica (Japanese Pieris)

 There are also other creatures that can inhabit the area who are smaller but make their presence known.

I heard this guy often making a racket in my water feature. I finally got a close-up of him.

Let’s Spring Forward with the time and the weather! We’re ready to let go of Ole Man Winter at Fishhawk Lake!

Gayle Rich-Boxman
Broker, Vernonia Realty
Specializing in Fishhawk Lake Recreation Club
“Your Gateway to the Lake!”
Direct: (503)755-2905
My website: http://www.lakehomesatfishhawk.com/
My blog: https://fishhawklakerealtor.wordpress.com/