Seven years ago, I would have described myself as a gardener...now that I live in coastal North Carolina...not so much...more like a survival gardener. My long lasting challenges can be best described in one word..DEER. Here's what I have learned about deer and my plants and hopefully this will help you. I have found that these plants will be unattractive to all but the most hungry deer. Buy and plant- any herbs with a scent like basil, lavender, rosemary and thyme. These flowering plants defy most deer so concentrate on planting Lantana, Black-eyed Susans, Purple Cone Flower, Butterfly bush, Bee Balm, Verbena and Blanket flower. Zinnias seem to be deer-tolerant but then the rabbits came and ate those! Stay away from Indian Hawthorne, roses, azaleas, day lilies and hostas. Those plants in my yard have fed many a happy deer. Geraniums and begonias are also being assaulted, I just can't tell yet if the vandals are deer or rabbits. Either way...they are gone too!
See you next time!
Allyn
