Not so dear deer...

While I find deer charming when I see them on walks at Radnor Lake, they are a nuisance in my garden.  Most of my rough and tumble native wildflowers are not palatable to them, but, that doesn't mean that my garden is safe from browsing and damage. Deer in particular seem to be creatures of habit, they follow regular trails to their favorite foods and the visitors at Clay and Limestone are no exception! My across the street neighbor says she loves watching them every morning as they browse by. Sigh...She sees them as delightful wildlife and I experience them as destructive. They trample through the garden smashing newly emerging wildflowers and have eaten the remaining daylilies down to stubs.

Although, I am not amused by their visits, humor helps me deal with the wilder aspects of wildlife gardening. Over the years I've had a lot of fun writing to the stinkers and have even posted an eviction notices. I thought you might like this post from several years ago, reading it this morning has helped restore both my sense of humor and perspective.

I hope it makes you smile, too. xoxogail*

Chez Clay and Limestone, Good Eats Here!

The species tulips looked delicious~

Good Eats Quadruped Dining Reviewer here to tell you about a gem of a place I stumbled upon out in the Nashville suburbs!

You can't beat a tulip for a taste sensation

After living in Nashville you get to know the good and bad about restaurants pretty soon. So, if you are in or around the area, and are having a craving for a bit of exotic food~think Tulipa~ then check out Chez Clay and Limestone! A fun and friendly eatery that caters to the early morning breakfast crowd.

At their just west of downtown location, we found the decor warm and colorful.

Just how you'd expect a locavore restaurant to be.
You'll be greeted by nice and friendly staff who will answer your queries without rush.

Their Menu is large and extensive, especially their daily breakfast buffet! They make the best Tulipa I've tasted this side of Cheekwood! They have a large variety of vegetarian options. No wonder they are a favorite place for Nashville's elite to gather!

Their Sunday Brunch menu is another good choice, from appetizers to main course as well as a dessert. You'll get to taste everything; perfect for a family get together. Look for the menu to change each season. 

Spring: Tulipa, lilies and crocus. 
Summer: Guacamole Hosta. 
Fall: Hydrangea, Hamamelis, Burr Oak Acorns.  

You never know what might be offered, so go ahead and try it all!

Guacamole Hosta will be on the menu later in the season.

There are many great places to eat in this town, but this little diamond in the rough has plenty to offer: good food, affordable prices, and a family-friendly environment. There are no lines, no cover charge and no bouncer at the door. Imagine a dawn breakfast or dinner watching the sunset!

 But, you don't have to take my word for it~Here's a few reviews from other diners

The Proof is in the clean plate

This little gem has a nice menu and relaxed atmosphere. It's tasty and easy on the pocketbook. Be sure and try the Costco Pink Tulips! J Deerman

I can't say any more than if you haven't eaten at this restaurant, you haven't properly taken advantage of what this city has to offer. Shame on you. Awesome food, awesome atmosphere, totally unique to this city.
Sue Fawn

Ain't much to look at, but the rumors are true....the Tulipa specials are too die for! Mrs. Faline Bambi

That's all folks.

Good Eating from the The Quadruped Dining Reviewer

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PS The post and photos are from 2011~The 2013 garden isn't this far along, spring has been cooler and there aren't any tulips. Deer, rabbits, squirrels and chipmunks are too frequent guests at Chez Clay and Limestone and I stopped planting them.



 Gail Eichelberger is a gardener and therapist in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at Clay and Limestone. She reminds all that the words and images are the property of the author and cannot be used without written permission.

Sometimes I Like My Garden, Sometimes I Don't!

It's a clown pants colorama mixture of natives and carefully chosen exotics that makes me smile.

Central Basin natives and carefully chosen exotics

This morning my across the street neighbor told me the garden was beautiful.  That made me so happy.  

Central Basin native Baptisia australis is a colorful companion for Peony 'General MacMahon'

 Although, I garden for my own pleasure, getting positive feedback from neighbors feels fantastic. 

Rosa 'Lovely Fairy'  is another strong color in the garden.

 Especially in a garden with as few design restraints/rules as Clay and Limestone.

G sanguineum is a tough and versatile plant that prefers the edge of the garden where the sharp drainage makes it happy.

My design rule is simple:

Hibiscus 'Kopper King' with Achillea 'Moonshine', If Kopper blooms with the Susans we shall see color!

 Find a space between the limestone bedrock and wedge the plant in and hope for the best!

Cotinus 'Grace', Geranium 'Rozanne' Gen MacMahon peony, Baptisia 'Carolina Moonlight',  
Chasmanthium latifolium, and Penstemon calycosus

Sometimes, the best is a clown pants colorama!
xoxogail

Gail Eichelberger is a gardener and therapist in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at Clay and Limestone." This post was written by Gail Eichelberger for her blog Clay and Limestone Copyright 2011. This work is protected under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Please contact the author for permission to copy, reproduce, scrape, etc.

Dear Garden Bloggers,

Gail Eichelberger is a gardener and therapist in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at Clay and Limestone."

GBBD: Thank Heaven For Hellebores!

 Or, I would be sharing the beautiful blooms that are sitting on my desk with you!

Instead, I have these lovely  Helleborus orientalis, Royal Heritage Strain to show you. After my beloved spring ephemeral wildflowers and Hamamelis vernalis,  hellebores are the most welcome flowers in my winter garden.  Just when I've had all the brown and gray I can take they begin their  dramatic blooming.   

Demure they aren't.

They are the funniest flowers and if you look closely

A Mona Lisa smile

you can see their smile.

The kind of smile that makes you wonder

It's the kind of smile that makes you wonder what they are up to...

Are those teeth?

It's the kind of smile that says, "feed me Seymour"!

They sure look like teeth?

But, then, I have a vivid imagination.  Do you?
xxoogail

PS Now, make this garden blogger smile and pop over to May Dreams Gardens, where our delightful hostess, Carol,  has set up the Mr Linky magic carpet ride to take you to more Bloom Day posts than you can imagine.  

Gail Eichelberger is a gardener and therapist in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at Clay and Limestone."

Step Right Up Folks~ Seeing Is Believing

Unbelievable and Daring Feats Of Astonishing Acrobatics!

Dizzying heights, stomach dropping leaps!

Unstoppable bravado!

You will wonder and gasp at his never give up, never surrender spirit!

He will leave you astonished and amazed!

You will cheer and yell!
The applause will be deafening

He will remain aloof and unfazed~
readying himself for the next show!

See you all soon!
Gail

Thanks fotosearch for the image usage!

Adventures of Priscilla F Peahen, Queen Of The Neighborhood

Priscilla F Peahen was roosting in a neighbor's tree. I saw her last night just before the sun disappeared. When I ran out to take her photo ... Mr I hollered a warning: "Don't have eye contact. She'll take that as an invite to move back in! We don't want her flying over the fence and taking up residence on my car!" Have I mentioned how very much he loves his car?

The eye contact comment was too funny, considering that peafowl are the only wild birds that will look you in the eye! Just don't stare at them, it makes them nervous. She was there very early this morning, then gone as soon as the sun began to warm the day.

Longtime readers will remember that Priscilla came to stay at Clay and Limestone just before Thanksgiving and then returned a few weeks later. (here for the full story)
She must really like this part of the neighborhood. What giant roosting bird wouldn't! There are plenty of trees and there is still food everywhere. She could live off of the bird food from bird feeders all winter. Earthworms are still active and the ground rarely freezes. There are tons of acorns and the streams will be running until summer.

She may very well be hiding in the wayback backyard. More then likely she's wandering the neighborhood in search of food and water! Like all peafowl, she needs a large property to explore and grub about in. She seems an adventurous girl and wouldn't be happy living in my small backyard. A farm would be perfect.

Please don't worry about Priscilla. She's a survivor. I will make sure there is water and food all winter. Do you think my neighbor will mind that I'm leaving it in her yard!

Gail

Hedgemony*

The Thrown Room

Dear Impossible Missions Force,

We need your assistance in the Kingdom of Clay and Limestonia! You were a great help when the Kingdom was under attack from the underground Vinca movement. You surely recall the bitter battles and valiant effort of our loyal subjects when Major Vinca and his minions infiltrated every aspect of the community....Siphoning off the country's meager natural resources for their own uses. We remember well, when Vinca Minor, (second in command and even more aggressive then her cousin) aligned herself with the Bush and Privet families. Those very corrupt and once prominent families have been removed from influence. We celebrated those Last Days of Bush for months! But, they are bitter and determined to get re-rooted in the community... We fear that Hedge, our Minister of De-Fence has aligned himself with these disruptive factions. There is evidence of co mingling and conspiracy.

We must move carefully. Hedge has been a loyal subject and has many supporters; including a few of our more powerful families. Word must not reach the ears of our most powerful senator, Mr. I. He will not approve and could make trouble. Mr. I believes that the Kingdom needs a strong Minister of De-Fence and that Hedge has performed perfectly.

It's not without difficulty that We accept reports of Hedge's possible perfidy. He's worked hard protecting Clay and Limestonia from the world. He keeps the prying eyes of neighbors from our little kingdom. He's provided shelter for many an immigrant to our shores.

But, he's getting entirely too big and powerful. He's pushed past the boundaries and claimed land that is clearly not his...He's upset the natural order in this part of the world.

Oh, yes, like other despotic personalities, Hedge can be charming and beguiling! He does cut a fine figure in his seasonal dress uniform.
But, he's aggressive and has over run less assertive neighbors. Toppling a problem like Hedge can leave this little kingdom de-fenceless. Borders will be unprotected. A plan to get in and out of there quickly seems impossible at this moment. WE must of course err on the side of caution.

WE await your response and hope to see the Impossible Missions Force here soon.

Queen Gaillardia
Kingdom of Clay and Limestonia

*Hedgemony (n)~A hedge attempting to achieve garden domination

Hedge~a fence or boundary formed by a dense row of shrubs or low trees
Mony~Latin: action, result of an action or condition; a suffix that forms nouns)
Hegemony~ aggression or expansionism by large nations esp. among smaller nations in an effort to achieve world domination.

From The Beginning This Relationship Has Been Rocky

Commelina communis Asiatic Day Flower

From the beginning my relationship with Chez Cedar has been rocky.

My home ownership biological clock was ticking and I wanted a bigger home and yard for my family!

I wasn't so desperate that I would settle for just anything, but I did find myself thinking, "Not anywhere near perfect, but with a little work we can whip this place into shape!" So Chez and I embarked on our journey.

It became clear in those early years that
Chez and I weren't soul mates. There were many complaints. I talked endlessly with Mr. I Don't and friends about the flaws! Something had to be done or this relationship would continue to make everyone uncomfortable.

We sought advice, with endless trips to the bookstore for self help books. Our bookshelves were filled with early attempts to understand the problems.

Books like~~Complete Do It Yourself Manual (Readers Digest), Home Repair and Improvement Series (Time Life), The Home Decorator's Bible and my personal favorite Superwoman by Shirley Conran. Feng Shui, Wabi Sabi and A Gentle Plea For Chaos were tried and rejected!

No amount of complaining and grousing was going to make this relationship work. Real change had to take place! We had improved all we could by ourselves. We needed professional help.

The professionals arrive!

We saw Bruce. He was highly recommended by our dear friends. He was a relationship rehabber! It was clear to him that something had to change. He recommended getting rid of everything that was no longer working for us. He assured us that these changes would bring us a sense of calm and relaxation. We agreed to work with him. We tore down old walls that had kept us from communicating and flowing. With an open plan our communication improved....the boxed in feeling was gone. Ennui was lifted from Chez. Our relationship began to blossom.

Lantana with Gulf Fritillary

A few years later, when we felt crowded and needed a change, we called Nancy. She thought our connection to nature was out of whack; we needed to open up and breath. She said we needed to expand our presence in the universe. Positive affirmations were assigned. Cognitive restructuring was going to be necessary! She suggested reconstructive cosmetic surgery for Chez! He was looking tired. It was a big decision. Finally, after many consultations, we all agreed that it was time for a big change.

Early summer on the front path

The reconstruction was successful. Chez looked hip with his new porch. We could breath fresh air and commune with nature.

Bee and Salvia azurea

Blooming continued. We grew closer.

But still there were nagging moments. The fall of our discontent was upon us. We needed more guidance. Everything felt chaotic.

Before~ 2008

We needed a coach, so we called Sarah. She listened respectfully and suggested a few coaching sessions. During that time, she reminded me that change takes time. She suggested we begin looking at Clay and Limestone differently. She said that by making a few changes we could significantly improve Chez.

After~ 2008

She helped us focus and expand our vision.

Words like acceptance, cohesiveness, harmony, natural, openness, compromise and quirky were embraced*. We recommitted to our original vows of honoring the land; accepting the clay and limestone conditions, dealing with the dry summers and wet winters and celebrating cedar glade native plants. We opened our hearts and minds to exotic plants that would add quirkiness and fun to the landscape of our relationship.

Tricyrtis "Empress" Toad Lily

We dug in and committed to doing the work. The changes we are undertaking are often difficult, always stimulating and so much fun. Sometimes we get exhausted by the magnitude of the tasks. More often we are humbled that simple changes in attitude and vision could bring about a renewed passion and a deepening love for our home and garden!

Thank goodness there's help out there when you need it!

Gail

;-) My dear friends! Thank you for nominating me for several categories in the Blotanical Best of Awards: Most User Friendly, Best Blog Post (Have You Ever Wondered How Blogs Got Their Names) and Best New Comer Blog. What a delightful honor! Really! All the nominees and their blogs are fantastic. If you've never been to Blotanical or haven't signed up...this is a great time to pop over there to visit blogs from around the globe. You won't be disappointed.

my warmest thoughts for you all! gail

....I am hear to live out loud. Emile Zola

* Thank you Carol!