By: Victoria Vacher

While some consider them a nuisance, one of our long-time best friends, Carolyn, positively adores squirrels and she is the inspiration for this article. We really can’t see a squirrel without thinking of her. Although we have quite a healthy number of squirrels chez nous, in the mountains, it doesn’t compare to Carolyn and Jim’s scurry in the urban Tidewater area of Virginia.​​​​​​​

In fact, she and her wonderful husband, had us build a small squirrel complex in their
back yard. Squirrel Village, as we refer to it, had a nesting box, an enormous feeder
(which was always filled with high quality peanuts), a water feature, plus a 6’ long bridge
and a squirrel ladder, no less, to access the feeder. It was one of the best/most fun
projects that Christopher with a little help from me ever created. It is a true oasis for their furry friends.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the days of squirrel care there were scads of humorous and sometimes nerve wracking adventures.

On one particular nesting box clean out day (despite knocking first to see if anyone was home) Chris had to rescue three baby squirrels and tangle with them to get them back in the  nesting box. 

 

We will never forget the day he was thirty feet up on a ladder leaning on the large Pine tree to

clean the box which unbeknownst to him (again...despite knocking first) still had a squirrel left in it.

Opening the box, the squirrel then proceeded to jump on his head, dash down his back, and then down his leg to escape!

He still claims to this day that the squirrel, halfway down the extension ladder, paused to look back up indignantly

and made an obscene gesture with its little squirrel finger. It was certainly very vocal about its displeasure.

This is the thanks you get for trying to do a little housekeeping; albeit unexpectedly.
 

There are indeed so many, many lovely memories in their beautiful garden, uncovering
buried treasures, creating pathways after the destruction of a hurricane (can’t even
remember which one, as there were many), adding walkways, a pergola, gates, a bridge, etc.

And in the end, no matter how many flowers were planted or pergolas erected, it’s the airborne squirrel

ambushes and rodent side-eye that truly made this garden a masterpiece of chaos and charm.

We've had the pleasure of improving and visiting many amazing landscapes however, squirrel memories

hold a very special place in our hearts when thinking about this particular garden.