Deer Proofing Your Garden…With Plants
What?! ?? What do you mean? I can actually deer proof my garden..you know the garden that has nice vegetable plants and flowers in it that Bambi and all of his kin like to munch on… simply by planting more plants??
Deer photo by flickr user: Noel Zia Lee
Yes, you can…really. But the key is in knowing exactly what types of plants deer do no like and will not eat.
These varieties will keep the deer away from the “good stuff” and will (we hope) have them looking for other ground to munch from.
The key is making sure that you plant a lush border around your vegetable garden starting with the tallest plants and then tapering them down to the low growing specimens that deter deer. In other words …you want to build a living fence… A living deer deterrent. Sure Bambi and his kin are cute, but when you work hard on tilling the ground and planting a garden, having Bambi dine on what is intended to be your dinner just isn’t very fun at all.
Delphinium by flickr user: MShades
Below is a list of flowers and plants that deer do not find very appetizing.
You’ll find varieties like nasturtiums which have a peppery taste, mints, and a few herbs like thyme,oregano, and lemon balm that deer do not find appealing.
Achillea Ageratum American Mountain Mint Anise Hyssop Aralia Astilbe Aster Baby’s Breath Bachelor Buttons Barberry Bishop’s Weed
Daffodils by flickr user: Mason2008
Butterfly Flower Butterfly Weed Candytuft Calamint Catnip
Columbine
Butterfly Bush by flickr user: tophera
Coneflower
Coreopsis
Crocus
Daffodils
Dahlia
Delphinium
Forget Me Not
Foxglove Geranium — Hardy, Scented Geranium; Cranesbill
Gloriosa Daisy
Grape Hyacinth Hellebore Hyssop Lady’s Mantle Lamb’s Ear Larkspur
Lavender Lemon Balm
Lupine by flickr user:mwri
Lobelia
Lupine
Mariposa lily Mint
Monarda — Bee Balm Monkshood
Moss Pink Mullein Narcissus
Nasturtium Northern Bayberry Ornamental Chives
Ornamental Grass Oregano Peony
Periwinkle
Pincushion flower
Pincushion flower by flickr user: uzvards
Poppy
Russian Sage Siberian IrisSnapdragon Spruce St. John’s Wort Sumac
Sweet William Tansy
Thyme Wormwood Yarrow —————————— So, just because Bambi likes to take his evening walks across your property it does not mean that you cannot have a beautiful garden area with gorgeous flowers and vegetables. Give it a try..plant a living fence. ~Happy Gardening!~
This is so ironic! I was Googling deer-deterrent information just this morning. Great info! Thanks!