In a previous post, “The Buzz Around My New Meadow Sage,” I mentioned a surprise visitor to my flowerbed – a munching little cottontail rabbit! I even shared some photos of the busy bees enjoying the Meadow Sage blooms (Salvia Lyrical Blues).
Well, I finally managed to get a picture of the culprit itself! This little bunny has been living under my deck and seems to be getting more comfortable around me. While I love seeing it, it has definitely developed a taste for my flowerbed, especially the Meadow Sage – which I thought was supposed to be rabbit-resistant!
While the bunny’s fondness for my flowers is a bit entertaining, I don’t want it to devour everything and leave nothing for the bees and butterflies. So, I decided to do some research on how to keep rabbits out of the garden humanely. Here’s what I discovered:
Keeping Bunnies at Bay: Fence it in: Install a wire fence around your garden beds. Use chicken wire with a 1-inch mesh or smaller, and bury it at least 6 inches deep to stop rabbits from burrowing under.
Plant strategically: Choose flowers and herbs that rabbits typically dislike, such as forsythia, lilac, zinnias, daffodils, lavender, snapdragons, onions, garlic, and hot peppers.
Natural repellents: Try using human or animal hair, blood meal, hot pepper, or Tabasco sauce around the garden (be sure to reapply after rain).
Scare tactics: Place visual deterrents like metal pinwheels, rubber snakes, or aluminum foil strips around the garden to frighten rabbits. Remember to move them often to keep them effective.
Tidy up: Eliminate potential nesting spots by removing piles of brush, leaves, and dense vegetation near your garden.
The takeaway? A combination of these methods creates a multi-layered defense that’s most effective (and safest) for keeping rabbits out of your precious flower garden. I’m still deciding which methods to use, but I’ll definitely keep you posted on my quest to create a harmonious garden space for both the pollinators and the occasional bunny visitor!