The weather has been “hotter than the hubs of hell” (as my guy likes to say) but that hasn’t stopped us from partying merrily with friends from near and far. Our cottage was made for entertaining and hosting overnight guests and we take full advantage. Which means that as our guests are getting my enthusiastic attention, my plants not so much.

Planters: 0. Chipmunks: 4

While my back was turned, our neighbouring chipmunks were very busy doing what chippies do–forage for nuts, eat nuts and try to bury as many frigging nuts as possible. Future retrieval seems not to be of concern. It’s the burying that’s the thing. And my plant containers are apparently ideal.

A friend of mine photographing one of our very friendly chipmunks.

In a recent post I went on and on about an inspiration for battling squirrels using tulle. I loved the idea because, well, tulle. I love tulle. And the thought of using it in the garden was irresistible.

Several weeks later and I have to report that using tulle to fend off squirrels does really seem to work. But chipmunks just dive under it. Or push it to one side. Or swing from pot to pot with lengths of tulle Tarzan-style. OK, I exaggerated on that last bit. But, all this to say, tulle has not deterred our chippies from uprooting all kinds of container plantings. Potting soil scattered everywhere. Torn leaves and stems flung with gay abandon.

A young buck making himself at home in the vegetable garden of a friend of ours in Fernie, B.C. Photo by Ann Johnston.

I guess I should feel lucky that my marauders are only three inches tall. Any amount of tulle probably wouldn’t stop deer or elk from grazing in the garden.

Planters wild or formal? Vote!

On another note, I was intrigued by the Toronto Botanical Gardens’ fun summer Planter Contest. Two talented and knowledgeable gardening experts are competing for most popular Entrance Planter at the gardens.

The two entries: Paul Zammit’s wilder design on the left and Tanya Carvalho’s more formalized look on the right. Photos courtesy of the Toronto Botanical Gardens.

Both planters are amazing but I have to admit I’m leaning towards Paul’s design because I love a container that looks like it’s exploding with colour and texture. That and the fact that he used parsley as a filler/spiller.

You don’t have to be a gardener, a visitor of the TBG or even Canadian to participate in this just-for-fun contest. Learn more about the design ideas used in both designs in the videos shown below. And Vote!

Paul talks about his lush planting in the video above.

Paul talks about Tanya’s container planting in this video.

I bet neither of them had to deal with chipmunks though.