Tulips and Tragedy

I love tulips.  There are many here in the garden.  Some I planted. Some were hiding here waiting for someone to appreciate them again before they reappeared in all kinds of places.
 

  The lawn, the walkways, under the spruce trees in the grass...as well as around the house in the flower beds I created.  Tulips say "spring" in so many colors. 


One of my favorite tulips is Angelique.  It has a peony like bloom in a lovely light pink.  I planted two clusters of them, one on each side of entry to the garden.  Yesterday, as I mowed the lawn, I was noticing how beautiful and full they are this year.  Then, this morning, I looked out the window toward the garden as I pulled up the blind.  I actually gasped out loud.  I could see no pink Angeliques anywhere.  Closer inspection showed me this.

The deer came in the night and ate off all the blooms, not only of the Angeliques but also two other bunches at each corner of the garden fence.  Now I sprayed those tulips with a repellant not a week ago.  Obviously deer like tulips more than they dislike repellant!  I was so mad I could have spit nails...or shot a deer.  Then my anger turned to disappointment and frustration.  I work so hard to make my flower garden beautiful only to have it destroyed by big rats with hooves.  At least they didn't go inside the garden and destroy that, too.  I don't know what else I can do aside from building an 8 foot tall fence around the whole place.  Part of me would, if it wouldn't look horrible.  

I've calmed down since this morning and am, again, determined to keep gardening in spite of the deer.  I do hate them but I can't really get rid of them so I have little choice.  The one saving grace in this is that the tulips will be back next year.  Unfortunately, so will the deer.