If you're a new homeowner and your backyard borders on a woodsy area, you probably think you're lucky not to have houses there. And if you've spent the last few weekends planting new shrubs, trees and pretty flowers there you're probably feeling pretty good. Every time you pass the back windows you peek out at your new beautifully landscaped backyard.
Then one night as evening draws near you notice a deer or two seeming to be admiring your work also. Now we'll jump ahead to the next morning......as you look out that back window and see that just about everything you had planted has been either trampled or eaten by those cute little deer. All of a sudden those deer are no longer cute or desired as a backyard decoration.
Now what should we have planted......
Some common flowers that are resistant to deer are ageratum, dusty miller, marigolds, periwinkles, agapanthus, verbena, lantana, crown of thorns, gingers, peace lily and crinum lilies.
Shrubs that are resistant are dwarf hollies, oleander, pampas grass, bottlebrush, gardenia, anise, Japanese boxwood, tea olive, viburnum, nandina and podocarpus.
Trees that resistant are fejoia or pineapple guava, crape myrtle, large hollies, chaste tree, winged elm, all palms, live oak, bald cypress, redbud, magnolia, orchid tree and dogwood.
Some groundcovers and vines with resistance are Asiatic jasmine, asparagus fern, Aztec grass, confederate jasmine, cape honeysuckle, allamanda, sky vine or Thunbergia, society garlic and bleeding heart vine.
There are other plants also.....so check with your neighbors to see what they have planted and have done well. Also give your local County Extension office a call to find out their latest lists of plants to deer-proof your backyard.
