Venus Flytraps in my garden

I have spent the Summers of years gone by ankle-deep in dirt, weeding the garden, and eating all the produce it yields: tomatoes, cucumbers, edamame, corn, lettuce, onions, radishes, garlic, squash, eggplant, beets, brussel sprouts, cabbages, melons and so on.

Since living in the rental for the past four years, I have also been fighting a losing battle with the deer and the critters. They lie in wait the day before the tomatoes are ready to be picked, and swoop in to steal them all. I haven't had a decent crop of edamame in four years, which is a shame because they are ridiculously easy to grow. This Summer, for the first time, I gave up the fight. With book tour, a change of publisher, building Figless Manor and running the lives of many Smalls, I decided to, instead, take a CSA farm share in The Hickories in Ridgefield.

Every Monday we collect bags of whatever's ready, and while loving the surprise of not knowing what I'll be bringing home, I miss being out in the garden. It makes me feel connected to the earth, and nature, and I can plan what I want us to eat. Some years ago I planted copious amounts of green beans, then realising I hate green beans when it came time to pick them and I didn't want to eat them. Now I only plant food I know we'll eat, and the kids love nothing more than picking straight from the ground and popping peas in their mouths.

Next Summer we will be in Figless Manor, and with any luck we will have deer fencing around the garden. This morning Mini-me and Twin A asked if they could have a garden too. Naturally my answer was a delighted yes, before asking what they would plant.

Mini-me said, "cucumbers, radishes, and those flowers you can eat." (Nasturtiums).

Twin A thought for a bit. "Tomatoes", he said, pausing as he thought, before adding "and a few Venus Flytraps."

I suppose that might be one remedy for the Greenfly...