Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: nerdle on April 01, 2012, 18:01
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Hoping to pull off a miracle by having a happy free ranger AND a flower garden. Reading old posts it seems I'm safe to plant perennial geraniums, daisies (is that daisy shaped flowers)? and wallflowers.
I'd like to know of any other likely survivors before I get planting. I know hyacynths are poisonous and she hasn't touched them so she seems to know what isn't good for her.
Any other known henproof flowers? Would love to know please as I'm not keen on netting etc......
My hen joy was tested yesteday when she assaulted my beloved giant poppy plant...
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i'd give the geraniums a miss, unless you can protect them from the chickens, mine are very partial to them :(
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My hens just trample down the wallflowers after they have done scratting between them.
Dont think anything is safe,they just climb over everything.
Good luck anyway you'll need it..
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Oh dear!
After a quick google I found henproof:
Primroses, Buttercups, Dahlias, Roses, Heliotropes, Agapanthus, Salvias, Iris, Camelias, Purple Heuchera, Penstamons, Calla Lillies, Japanese Anenomes, Clivia, Yarrow, Pelargoniums, Petunias, Azaleas,Chrysanthemums and most prickly evergreen shrubs.
Alas the perrenial geranium may 'get it' after all!
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So far the plants that they have ignored in my garden are irises, lavender and camellia - which are all very pretty and good for the bees too!
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They won't touch my lupins or soloman seal, won't even eat the caterpillars from the soloman so there must be something in the plant they don't like the taste of. Rhodedendron and camellias seem chicken resistant as well.
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Well mine have stripped two roses as far as they can reach but have not bothered with one rose that has dark leaves and orange flowers so maybe that would be a good choice, I have kept a close eye on them today as they stripped four strawberry plants, a lavatera and were even tucking into a fatsia at one point, still when they start laying eggs (they are now 25 weeks and in no rush it seems :lol:) then it will be worth it. I have noticed they have not gone for lupins, photinia, philadelphus or dicentra (yet :lol:)
Hope you are all well and enjoyed the day
Claire :)
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Thank you - the hen certainly did. Great news about lupins!
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In my garden they mostly ignore the daffodils, cowslips, bluebells, anemones, roses - all kinds, sweet peas, prickly things. Lords and ladies - pest of a plant - though I gather some people like them.
They seem to particularly dislike tulips - the ones they can get to they just seem to trample mercilessly