6 Evergreen Plants that Rabbits won’t eat!

Infested with Rabbits!

Firstly, I want to give a word of thanks to Kate Harold and everyone on the Lough Gur Committee for putting my name forward for inclusion in the Lough Gur Nationwide special that aired on RTE on Monday 30^st August.  It was an amazing opportunity for me personally and it was fantastic to see our local area portrayed in such a positive light.  It really put Lough Gur on the map as a tourist destination and location of extraordinary historical & cultural importance.

In other news, rabbits are proving to be a little bit of an issue lately.  Every morning I am greeted by several of the little blighters in my garden.  This morning I caught them eating weeds, so I couldn’t really complain, but I know there are other times when they’re not just eating weeds!  There are just so many of them in the fields and the surround countryside that it has become impossible to keep them out.  Much like Fr. Jack from the Father Ted TV show, I am starting to develop a phobia, I expect to find them in the Kitchen next!

Thankfully, there are some plants that are resistant to rabbits and I thought I would give you a few ideas for shrubs that will work well in most gardens.  These plants are relatively resistant to rabbits, but as with all things in nature, there’s no guarantee.  Sometimes, if the plants are new or have soft growth, they can be susceptible to them, but they are definitely worth trying!

Acuba, (spotted laurel) is an evergreen shrub which can be planted in sun or shade.  It is slow growing and doesn’t take over the garden.  It has yellow and green leaves, which can brighten up a shady corner.

Buxus,(box hedging). It is perfect for planting into pots, containers or as an edging hedge.  It is low growing and easy to maintain. It just needs to be clipping once a year.

  Ceanothus,

(California Lilac), produces an abundance of blue flowers from April until July. It likes to be planted in full sun. It comes in many different varieties, some that will stay small along the ground such as Ceanthonus Repens, others like Trewithin Blue, which are a larger variety.

Chorisya teranata  – the leaves are lovely and scented.  It also produces flowers, but is primarily a foliage plant that will cover great space if required and can do well in shade if needed. There are a few varieties, the Choisya Sundance, has yellow leaves which will really brighten a dark corner

Fatsia Japonica – is like a tropical plant with massive big leaves. It flowers in October, but again it’s really the foliage that it is grown for.  Sometimes it is known as the Caster Oil plant.  It can do really well in pots or planted into the ground

Sarcococca, (winter box).  This has really scented white flowers followed by black berries.  It is sometimes used as an alternative to buxus hedging.  However, it equally works well when planted in flower beds and borders.

 

As always, if you need any help or advice, just call into Rockbarton

Lynda

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Main Picture: Photo Credit https://unsplash.com/@kris_ricepees