If I had to pick a favorite flower pairing for a cottage-style home, it would be climbing roses framed by abundant blue hydrangeas. As our renovation edges closer to completion — and by closer I don’t mean everything will be finished this week or even this month; there’s still a long list — I’m planning what to plant around our house. Climbing roses and hydrangeas are at the top of that list.
The challenge here is that I’m not the only one fond of these blooms. Deer adore them too. In Seattle we rarely saw deer near our home, but now that we live on an island, wildlife is everywhere. The neighborhood’s deer are sweet and curious, and unfortunately they have the same taste in flowers that I do.
We even had a mama deer and her fawn nesting under the trees among our construction materials shortly after the baby was born. It was a tender sight. Last night I watched the mama walking past with her two babies. I love seeing them and I’m glad they feel safe here, but I’d prefer they admire my flowers without feasting on them. Sniff and enjoy — don’t snack.
Still, I’m an optimist and willing to take garden risks for the chance to be surrounded by deer, bunnies and blooms. I recently ordered a few climbing roses and plan to add blue hydrangeas so I can view them from the kitchen French doors.
My hope is practical: the deer have plenty of other places to roam, including a 3,000-acre protected forest, open meadows and a beach within walking distance. They don’t have to make my small yard their personal buffet. That said, I’m brainstorming subtle strategies to make our planting areas a little less tempting — without detracting from the garden’s beauty. We’ll see how it goes.
I might be overly optimistic. My yard is small and my rose-and-hydrangea experiment could be short-lived. If the plants don’t survive, I’ll plant something else. But I’m willing to try — and maybe even add a few plants to the front yard. We already have one climbing rose there that has somehow persisted, so there’s hope.
Whether the flowers thrive or not, they’ll bring joy while they last. And if they don’t, I can always enjoy other people’s roses and hydrangeas until I figure out the next plan. For now, fingers crossed.
Enjoy the inspiration in this week’s Sunday Strolls + Scrolls post.
Sunday Strolls + Scrolls is a series inspired by interiors and outdoor spaces I discover while scrolling online. I look for places and ideas that evoke a sense of sanctuary — a leisurely walk down a charming street, a peaceful stroll through a garden, or a peek inside a neighborhood home on a Sunday open house. I hope this series feels as relaxing and enjoyable to you as it does to me.
Browse past Sunday Strolls & Scrolls inspiration posts in the series archive on the site.
Did you notice the peek of our new backyard deck off the French doors? See the backyard mood board and project sneak peek in the related post on the blog.