Hello, fellow lovers of all things green,
Ellie’s first Memorial Tree – ‘Baby Blue Eyes’ Blue Spruce
You may remember the story of the replacement tree planted in memory of Miss Ellie Mae, my rescue before Jolee. The first tree, a ‘Baby Blue Eyes’ Blue Spruce, didn’t survive. Its roots were severely cut and crisscrossed—what’s known in the trades as a “bad dig.” But it wasn’t bad. The tree brought joy as our Christmas tree, and then—remarkably—a ‘Mary Holman’ American Holly arrived as its replacement. A beautiful coincidence, symbolizing Mary holding Ellie forever in my heart.
Early Worries for Ellie’s Memorial Holly
As spring unfolded, the spiky, dark-green holly leaves began to turn brown. My heart grew heavy at the thought of losing a second memorial tree. Despite treating the holly with Wilt-pruf, a natural pine oil that protects broadleaf evergreens from winter burn, the browning continued.
Slowly but surely, all the leaves turned brown. But I kept hope alive.
A Quiet Return to Life
There’s beauty in imperfection.
Later in the season, to my delight, Mary Holman began returning to life after a dose of organic fertilizer. Plus, I ensured the soil remained damp. First, a few leaves emerged on one branch. Then, as the summer unfolded, more joined them.
I let the brown leaves drop on their own, believing they were protecting the new buds in the thick of the heat as they formed. And I kept the naked stems intact, trusting new shoots would sprout. They did! The recovery was a joy to watch.
Watching her recovery was like witnessing resilience made visible.
Ellie’s replacement memorial tree – ‘Mary Holman’ American Holly, three years later.
Finding Beauty in Imperfection
That Christmas—her first with new growth—I decorated her with a red-and-white star topper. She was lopsided but magnificent. I thought she might even out over time. Or maybe not. There’s beauty in imperfection. Besides, there’s no such thing as perfection anyway.
In three years, Ellie’s memorial holly has mostly filled in. Last Christmas, I added ornaments beneath the topper. But last week, I woke to a quarter of her branches on the ground.
A Mysterious Attack on the Holly
At first, I suspected buck rub. Not only do we contend with Bambi dining on our plants, but male deer can also kill young trees by shredding bark as they rub their growing antlers during rut season.
Male deer chew lower branches to mark territory.
Buck rub occurs late summer into fall when males remove velvet from their antlers and mark territory. Young trees are especially vulnerable, as scraping can disrupt the systems that transport water and nutrients.
But Ellie’s tree had no damage to the trunk. Instead, the branches appeared nibbled off and left behind. The sight brought tears to my eyes.
It turns out that while rubbing, deer often chew lower branches, paw the soil, and urinate around the tree to mark territory. That’s right, Jolee—you’re not the only critter that leaves pee-mail.
Protecting Young Trees from Deer Damage
Deer are creatures of habit, returning to the same trees again and again. So, for now, I wrapped the holly in deer netting. Hopefully, I can remove it when I decorate her. Or I’ll decorate her with the netting still on. That could be artful in its own way.
While deer repellents help curb browsing, they are ineffective at preventing buck rubs. Still, it’s wise to spray your arsenal of deterrents this time of year, as deer enter their feeding frenzy. (You can find more details in the Remedies for Buck Rub article link below.)
I saved the branches to decorate the window boxes. I’ll keep them outside, though, where pee-mail belongs. Smile.
Renewal, Scars, and the Stories They Tell
While I am still sad about the damage and disfigurement, it’s part of the deer’s innate nature. We can’t blame them. And I have faith that Mary Holman will recover once again, just as she did before.
Her scars—like our own lines and stretch marks—become reminders of resilience and a life fully lived.
Wishing you a warm and peaceful Thanksgiving. And thank you for the joy of thirteen-plus years we’ve shared—Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries in the Garden of Life. It means so very much.
Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone@gmail.com and your favorite Podcast App.
Enjoy more of the story in the Garden Dilemmas Podcast:
Related Posts and Podcasts:
Ball and Burlap versus Potted Tree – the story of the arrival of Ellie’s Memorial Holly
Episode 86. The Revival of an American Holly
