Planting in Deer Country

Planting in deer country can be a real challenge. You work and toil and plan and create a nice garden. Then, one morning, you walk outside to admire your results only to find all that is left is stubby, chewed plant bits. What a disappointment. Although there are no guaranteed plants that deer will not eat, there are some that can tip the odds in your favor. Some things to consider are what kind of meal it will make. Deer avoid discomfort and things they do not like, just like us. You can use textures, tastes, and smells to help drive them away from you garden and keep it looking its best. One note of caution - some plants that deer avoid, like foxglove and mayapple, are poisonous to humans as well. Make sure you are care

SHRUBS

Shrubs are a good base to any landscaping. One way to deter deer is with thorns. Roses and hawthorns will make for a very uncomfortable meal. Holly and cedar both have prickly leaves that deer tend to avoid, also. Actually, most evergreens are avoided because of both the prickly nature and the smell. Some just plain taste bad, like peonies and butterfly bushes.

FLOWERS

Choosing flowers that deer don't like can seem to limit your selection, but you can still find many deer-resistant flowers is you look hard enough. Bulbs like daffodils, fritillaria, and narcissuses are good choices. For perennials bleeding hearts, butterfly weed, coreopsis, Siberian iris, Oriental poppy, and vervain are good choices. If you prefer annuals, you might want to try marigolds, cosmos, or geraniums.

FOLIAGE

Foliage can be a buffet for deer. Some, though, are less likely to be dinner. Plants like lamb's ears, sedges, and wormwood (or artemisia) make good additions. Although many grasses are loved by deer, some are not. They seem to avoid grasses like festuca, pennisetum, and miscanthus. You can also use plants that look similar to grasses like liriope or allium. Other foliage plants that deer avoid include ferns, euphobia, boxwood, and privet.

HERBS

Because of their strong scent of flavor, herbs are either loved or hated by deer. They can be used both in the garden and your home. For use in your kitchen, you could plant oregano, sage, chives, and rosemary. Lavender, hyssop, yarrow (achillea) and lemon balm add scents that appeal to humans but deter deer. Other common herbs with many uses that deer avoid include mint, bee balm, catnip, and thyme.

If you live in an area populated by deer, you can have a great variety of plants in your garden with just a bit of research. Don't get discouraged if you plant a deer-resistant plant and it still gets eaten. There is no sure fire way to keep deer out of your garden short of a huge fence. If they get hungry enough, they will eat just about any foliage available.