August 2003: Deer and Pennyroyal at Tree Frog Farm

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Deer and Pennyroyal at Tree Frog Farm

I’m often asked how we keep the deer from eating our roses. Last year we started using a combination of hedges, brush piles and fences to encourage the deer to stay in the wild parts of the property. Smokey, the dog did his part, and we put wire cages around plants that needed special deer protection. Still the deer kept eating the roses.

The Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Golden Celebration roses asked me to give them protection from the deer. I put a few drops of newly made Pennyroyal essence at each of the four directions starting at the East, and a few drops over the top of the plant. Then I made up a little song about bringing in protection to keep the deer away. At first I had to do this every week or two so the deer got the message. It worked!

This year has been much easier. I told both roses this Spring that they would have protection. I have only done the protection ritual 4 times all Spring and Summer and they have flourished!! I’m now testing pennyroyal flower essence as a slug repellent.

PennyroyalPennyroyal (Mentha pulegium) is a highly aromatic ground cover mint that grows about 4” to 6” tall with whorls of little lavender flowers. On a flower essence level, pennyroyal described itself as follows:

“Like a fierce dragon tamer, pennyroyal sets up a sphere with spiked points protecting you from psychic danger, be it internal or external. After the danger is gone, although still alert, pennyroyal softens to bring you the sweetness of a summer day. Cycles through the fight/flight response of the sympathetic nervous system, so you may return to the restful state brought forth by the parasympathetic nervous system.

I AM strength to stand firmly in the center of whatever may assail you and wisdom to perceive when danger has passed.”

In addition to being a deer repellent, pennyroyal flower essence is a wonderful ally to calm jangled nerves. I use it when I get wired from the day, put drops of it on my dogs coat to cool out his border collie temperament and in the water of our two male bunnies. Pennyroyal flower essence has worked well for my clients who are dealing with childhood traumas.