I went back to the nursery and got a second flat of pansies.
I visualize a pool of purple blooms around this little rock pool. (The rock is naturally hollowed, used by the previous occupant of this land to hold salt for his cows.)
Some years my pansies thrive; some years the deer pull them up. As we hadn't seem many deer recently, I took a chance.Then at lunch, I looked out the dining room window to see three young deer, sauntering through the pasture. Oh dear. oh dear.