Deer-resistant plants and shrubs

Last post 04-05-2012 11:15 PM by AlexS. 3 replies.

• 02/05/2012 12:43 PM

  Anne Location: Hampshire Joined on: 02 May 2012 Posts: 2

  Reply | Contact Does anyone have any suggestions for plants and shrubs that deer positively don't like? I live next to a wood, and from time to time, they come and have a munch on various plants. They love sedums, fuschias, roses and hebes, as I have found to my cost. Currently, I know they don't like lavendar, azaleas and rhodedendrons, cistus, mahonia and hypericum, as they have survived, but I would like a little more variety. My soil is acidic and in full sun for much of the day. Here's hoping someone can help! Anne

• 03/05/2012 10:49 PM

  In reply to

  AlexS Location: Reading Joined on: 06 Sep 2009 Posts: 501

  Reply | Contact The soil I garden on is neutral rather than acidic, so I can't help with that part of the question.  The plants I've grown on neutral soil that the deer have left alone include: Rosemary, nepeta/catmint, choisya, peony, feverfew (tanacetum), acanthus, irises, snowdrops, daffodils, abelia, brachyglottis, geranium, bidens, lonicera (shrubs and climbers) abutilon, euphorbia, verbena bonariensis (but not other verbenas), ivy.  I also found they didn't eat rosa rubrifolia, and I believe there are some other roses they leave alone.  I think they leave alone stinking hellebore (h. foetidus), and they don't eat the leaves of h. orientalis, but then they eat the flowers.  The viburnum tinus leaves remain untouched, but in really cold weather, if they can get to the bark they chew that, as I found on one which I'd cut all the lower branches off. The seem to be curious, quite often uprooting but not eating something they haven't seen before, which is infuriating. They will also eat young tender emerging shoots of plants they leave alone later in the season - daylilies for example. I had some success spraying with Grazers, which seems to put them off. Hope this helps. Alex

• 03/05/2012 11:44 PM

  In reply to

  Location: Joined on: 07 Nov 2006 Posts: 2,377

  Reply | Contact Anne. Why is it, that I picture you living in the New Forest. There are so many points of view  put forward.  Some suggesting various plants etc, that these lovely creatures might not like the taste of, etc.   Basically ol'luv.  The only solution is   Prevent the deer from getting to your precious plants, trees etc.   Sorry, but that truthfully is the only answer.  The same question might be asked concerning, rats, mice and other wildsters.  Like you and me.  When hungary we will take chances. Mike.

• 04/05/2012 11:15 PM

  In reply to

  AlexS Location: Reading Joined on: 06 Sep 2009 Posts: 501

  Reply | Contact I have to disagree with you Mike, there are definitely plants which deer won't eat! I've gardened in an open country garden surrounded by woods and fields, with deer walking through every night. Some plants they love, some they will only eat when hungry, and others they won't eat at all. For example, they always eat tulips and never eat hyacinths. Other plants they don't like are bugle and lily of the valley and phlox. If you can keep deer out of your garden, fine - but if you can't, you learn to grow the things they don't like. This limits your choices, but you can still have a pretty and interesting garden. Alex