Promoting Freedom for Creative Architecture
Having your beautiful garden destroyed by deer can be both disheartening and frustrating. However, thanks to the concept of deer-resistant plants, you can now protect your prized garden and maintain its visual appeal. These plants, which are less appetizing to deer, can significantly reduce the damage caused by these uninvited guests. While there's no promise that a starving deer won't attempt to nibble on these plants, deer-resistant plants are generally your best bet.
Deer tend to pick their meals based on certain attributes. Some plants repel them due to toxic foliage, fibrous or difficult-to-digest foliage, or heavy fragrances. Others are unattractive to deer because of their hairy or spiky foliage. Knowing these characteristics can help you choose appropriate plants in a bid to save your garden from deer.
Numerous flowers qualify as deer-resistant, and within this category, astilbe, begonias, calla lilies, caladiums, dahlias, ferns, gladiolus, iris, peonies, and daffodils are a few of the many options. Each of these flowers presents unique characteristics, bloom seasons, growing zones, and planting seasons.
In addition to these, bulbs such as Anemone blanda, Leucojum aestivum, Eranthis hyemalis, Canna, Oxalis, Cyclamen, Narcissus, Galanthus, Leucojum, Amaryllis belladona, Crinum, Hippeastrum, Nerine, Zephyranthes, Lycoris, Narcissus poeticus, and Fritillaria imperialis also serve as excellent deer deterrents.
When planting deer-resistant flowers, consider interplanting with other bulbs and perennials. Mixing up your planting with other deer-resistant choices will create a more diverse and attractive garden, while deterring deer from feasting on your plants. However, keep in mind the general guidelines for planting each type of flower.
Eucomis 'Pink', Zantedeschia (Calla Lily), and Paeonia 'Coral Charm' are some remarkable deer-resistant plants that flower beautifully in the summer months. Their vibrant colors and unique growth patterns add distinct textures to a blooming summer garden, making it visually enchanting. If you reside in a region that's prone to deer visits, cultivating these plants will not only create an attractive landscape but also protect the integrity of your garden.
To address the widespread problem of deer damage, Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ has created a comprehensive deer-resistant plant database. This tool helps gardeners identify the best plants to grow in deer-prone areas depending on their deer tolerance level, breaking down each species by categories from 'rarely damaged' to 'frequently severely damaged'.
No plant is completely deer-proof. However, those categorized under 'rarely damaged' and 'seldom severely damaged' in the Rutgers University database serve as perfect choices for areas with frequent deer sightings. Alternatively, plants listed as occasionally or frequently damaged should be planted with additional protection measures.
In the end, your choice of plants will largely determine the success of your deer-resistant garden. Careful selection and proper planting of the right foliage and blooms, based on recommendations such as the Rutgers database, can help you maintain the beauty of your garden without it morphing into a buffet for deer. As you strive to keep your garden deer-free, remember – the right knowledge, guidance, and plants make all the difference.
