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SATURDAY, JULY 22, 2006 2C Mackinac Island is a place like no other Describing life on Mackinac Island is a challenge. What my Island friends and I so eiyoy may seem a bit strange to you who have never been here, but I am going to give it a try... There are no automobiles on Mackinac, so Island resi dents and visitors wanting to go anywhere must walk, ride a bicycle, ride a horse or ride behind one in a horse drawn carriage. The folks who live on the East and West Bluffs of the island in large beautiful Victorian homes have lots of property and most often have their own horses, horse paraphernalia, carriages and space over the horse barn to house a driver or two. Choose plants that deer refuse By CONNIE COTTINGHAM Morris News Service My garden in Georgia is suffering through a drought. Every weekend I water the dozens of new trees and the vegetable garden in an effort to keep them alive. This brings the deer out of the dry underbrush into my garden at night, where everything seems greener and tastier, a frustrating situation for a gardener. There are all kinds of tricks and repellents available to discourage deer and many books and Web sites avail able to assist. The repellent I have heard recommended the most by fellow garden ers is Liquid Fence, which is able to last through rains. Deer have pretty much avoided the vegetables since we strung clear fishing fine around the perimeter of our vegetable garden. The best defense seems to be fencing, a significant expense many gardeners resort to. One line of defense for your landscape is planting deer resistant plants. Deer resistant is a popular term, partially because so many of us have to garden among deer, partially because nobody in their right mind would claim something is deer proof. Daffodils and rosemary are the closest to deer proof I can think of. Even deer resistant plants may not be safe. Often a deer will taste-test, pulling a plant out of the ground and spitting it out if it is dis tasteftil. A new plant, laying on top of the ground often dies before the gardener dis covers and saves it. A friend sprays every new plant with deer repel lent, because her deer often uproot new plantings in her garden. Below is a small palette of deer resistant plants, start ing with my three favorites in each category: Annuals Snapdragons are cool sea son annuals in Georgia, a deer-resistant alternative to the pansies they so love. Marigolds are a recent rediscovery for me. Once too common, now I value their sunny disposition, vari ous forms, pest resistance, drought tolerance and care free nature. They are among the easiest flowers to grow from seed. Fan flower (Scaevola) sur vives our humid summers with absolute grace, creat ing a mat of fresh green foliage and abundant purple blooms. Deer have munched on my zinnias, angelonia and coleus, but left the lantana, verbena and shrimp plants. Perennials Salvias are not all as drought resistant as I had hoped, but are deer resis tant. This fragrant branch of the mint family has many annual and perennial vari eties to offer, with summer blooms in blues, purples, white, reds and oranges. Lenten Roses are among the earliest and longest last ing blooms on evergreen, shade loving plants. Dianthus include carna tions and mat forming ever- I live in the downtown portion of the Island in a nice 101-year old two-story Victorian home on the shores of Lake Huron. I have no place to house horses, horse paraphernalia, carriages or drivers, so I walk or bike wherever I go. The other evening I went to the movie. There is no theatre on the island, so a local hotel shows current movies in its auditorium. The equipment is old, they actually have to change reels during the movie, and they often experience “reel” tech nical difficulties. But, .if one wants to see a movie on the Island one must go to the hotel to do so. So one Monday evening I met my friend at the corner, r y Morris News Service This Silver Sage Artemis in the Park Seed Trial Garden in South Carolina (www.park seed.com) looks like a lamb’s ear on steroids, with huge, fuzzy grey leaves that can get eight inches long. The fuzzy texture and salvia family heritage makes this plant a safe bet for a deer resistant garden and can be grown as an annual or perennial. green perennials. My new favorite is the deep red perennial Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus OHeart Attack’) I found at Plant Delights Nursery. Also try yarrow (Achillea), Ajuga, Amsonia, Anenome, columbine (Aquilegia), Astilbe, Baptisia, Bergenia, Coreopsis, bleeding heart (Dicentra), foxglove (Digitalis), coneflower (Echinacea). Epimedium, spurge (Euphorbia), Lamium, Lantana, Liatris, bee balm (Monarda, lung wort (Pulmonaria), hens-n --chicks (Sempervivum), gold enrod (Solidago), lamb’s ears (Stachys) and Verbena Bulbs Daffodils are among the most troubleproof, carefree and enduring flowers avail able. Iris in my garden are com pletely ignored by the deer and multiply like crazy. Alliums, ornamental onions, can produce dramat ic blooms that are especially effective when massed. Other bulbs in my yard have not been tested by the deer yet, but they have munched on the amaryllis. Herb Most herbs have strong scents, so even if the deer won’t let you grow vegeta bles, you can have an herb garden. Rosemary, including creeping rosemary, a great rwcES : . i 100% FINANCING! mnwnmirm-rn FREIE ■hJf t O,irTT^nstallation!3 | rho Caribbean .^jjs3 HOMEOWNERS! CALI. 24/7! FOR YOUR FREE HOME SURVEY!! 1 • 8 6 6 - 2 3 7 -221 7 ■ Sti iffFl p oolg-d> am ooctmctu gtrTos.eom IMMMIIBSi Jane Winston The Left Rail JWlNSl939@aol.com and we hiked around to see the DaVinci Code at 9 p.m.... .still light. When the movie ended at 11:30...n0w dark... we, along with the many others young and old alike, hiked back to our respective residences through the dark streets illuminated only by old-fashioned streetlights. groundcover for a dry slope. Oregano, which can spread by underground runners to form a mat. Ornamental oreganos have especially attractive blooms. Basil, a summer annual that comes in so many vari eties and flavors, includ ing dark red or variegated leaves. Also try just about any fragrant herb Shrub Crape Myrtles, the clas sic summer blooming trees, are now available in a large variety of dwarf forms. Look for the new Razzle Dazzle series, maturing at two to four feet tall. Abelia, including the classic evergreen/semiev ergreen that matures at about four to five feet tall and wide and my favorite new abelia, OKaleidoscope. OKaleidoscope matures at two to three feet, with a long bloom season, a bright green/chartreuse variega tion and pink new growth. Viburnums provide blooms, plus often offer ber ries, fall color or evergreen foliage. Among my favorites are OShasta’, with gener ous amounts of white spring blooms in horizontal layers on a large shrub that looks beautiful in a woodland set ting. Also: butterfly bush (Buddlia), quince (Chaenomeles), Cotoneaster, V POOL SALE! The Mariner 3 1 1 x 19’ 0.0. Family Size Pool NOW ONLY! $ 825 INCLUOES: Sundeck, Fence, Filter. Ladders Installation extra LIFESTYLE ■ Way cool!! When my six-pack (that’s my six grandchildren) and their parents visited for over a week, we hiked...up and down hills...everywhere. One day we went duck pin bowling ...and how long has it been since you duck pin bowled? ...as there is no pineapple guava (Feijoa), Juniper, Tea Olive (Osmanthus). Wax myrtle (myrica), Yucca (Yucca spp.) vtoat fMTMfI ft 'f I b ■ Sen,or ' His,or y Ma i or I Be B■ Make Your Move. Transfer students find Mercer University the perfect place to complete their undergraduate degree. • An exceptional educational experience * Nationally ranked for quality and value * Transfer-friendly admissions process • Attractive financial assistance packages * Programs in liberal arts, business, education, engineering, music, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, law, and theology • More than 20 degree programs in over 60 major areas of study Transferring to Mercer is a move in the right direction. www.mercer.edu \/ JL V JLu N IV E R S i T V real bowling facility on the Island like that new one on Russell Parkway in Warner Robins. What I am trying to con vey is that for nearly three months I have been riding my 12-speed Rosario bicycle to the library, book store, bowling alley, movie, post office, small grocery store and often around the 8.5- mile island just for fun and exercise. And during these three months, if I didn’t ride .my bike, I walked. For example, last week my neighbors and I walked to the Woods Restaurant for lunih. That was a 4.5-mile round trip up a steep hill which passes the most famous Woof Stock ‘O6 set for Macon Special to Journal A “Rally to Rescue, Rejoice, Renew and Remember” companion animals, will be held at A 1 Sihah Shrine Park in Macon on July 30 from noon until 5 p.m. Join area animal rescue groups as they celebrate the lives they have helped save this past year while remembering those not as fortunate. Local rescue groups will be on hand with dogs and cats that are currently ISBoOtframes to Choose From f AtlfniilMelthis Includes Meta! isssr 1 ' MOST INSURANCE ASSIGNMENTS INCIUDING SPECTRA. SUPERIOR S CIGNA i I SOS International Square • Warner R6bS«l a. a • 3131 Pio Mono Avenue-Macon d 181-4310 ‘ HOUSTON DAILY JOURNAL island hotel, The Grand Hotel. Another day my brother and I walked six miles round trip to the air port to find the chief of the volunteer fire department (who is also the airport man ager) to thank him and the 18 of the 20 volunteers for quickly putting out the fire I inadvertently started on the sun porch of my home...the Cable cottage! And should you come visit me on this magical island, I will meet you...as I do all of my house guests... at the boat dock with my cart, so we can walk back to the Cottage with all of your vacation gear in tow. Next week...golf, grocery shopping and more.... available for adoption. There will be raffles and give-a-ways to help raise funds for animal rescue. And, of course, Woof Stock would not be complete without music! We will have a DJ there playing tunes. T-shirts are available for a S2O dona tion. Leashed, vaccinated pets are welcome. For more information: Email fureverfriend@alltel.net or contact Angie at 478-955- 1183. ■nsr, t : : v : flk v IM v ! ,§*rf Learn more about Mercer. Attend a Transfer Information Session on Mercer 's Macon campus. Monday, July 24 • 7 p.m. University Center Coffee Shop Space is very limited. Send an e-mail to admissions@mercer.edu or call (478) 301 -2650 to make your reservation today! Important Dates for Transfer Students Transfer Orientation: August 11,2006 Fall Classes begin: August 22,2006 Two Complete Pair Of Eyeglasses $69 90