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Finding a way to keep deer out of your garden can be a headache. They are persistent creatures when they see, smell, and taste something that they like, and your yard is their oasis. But, you don't have to put up with it forever!
Instead of spending all your time, money, and effort installing fencing and other barriers, consider deer resistant landscaping. This way, you can keep your yard looking pristine with foliage and plants and flowers that the deer won't pay any mind to. Plus, the landscaping you'll use to keep them out adds even more character to your yard.
But, how, you ask?
It's simple. Follow this guide to learn all about the different plants and shrubs you can plant in your yard to steer the deer in the other direction.
You can find everything from flowers to deer resistant grasses for landscaping. Let's take a look at some of your most popular options.
Annuals are plants and flowers that only last one season. They are usually planted in the Spring and start to die off during the Fall. Plant these flowers in your garden to avoid the deer gobbling up anything else you might plant.
For a little spice in your garden, plant some snapdragons. They bloom well in cool weather including Spring and Fall and range in size from dwarf hybrids to 3-foot plants.
Floss flowers are shade tolerant and bloom continuously throughout Spring, Summer, and Fall. You might find them in shades of white, blue, pink, and purple.
Marigolds are also great for keeping rats out of your garden. They carry a strong, pungent scent that neither rats nor deer is keen to. Most Signet Marigolds are yellow in variety.
Verbenas will bloom throughout Spring, Summer, and Fall into the first frost as long as you keep them trimmed back throughout the seasons. You'll find Verbenas in a range of colors including lavender, purple, white, yellow, dark red, pink, blue, and multicolored varieties.
Perennials are meant to last several years. You can plant them any time of the year, although Spring and Fall are best.
The felt like texture of the Dusty Miller plant is unappealing to deer. This is a beautiful plant to add character to any front or back yard landscape.
With gorgeous lavender-blue flowers on long stalks, the Russian Sage is a beautiful addition to your deer resistant garden. Flowers often last as long as 15 weeks and make a great companion to other fall-blooming plants.
Also known as Snakeroot or Bugbane, Black Cohosh is a dramatic blooming plant with white flowers that start from the bottom of a long stalk and spread to the top. Some can be upwards of 7 feet long. Their unpleasant odor and bitter taste repel deer.
You'll find the Fringed Bleeding Heart in backyards across the nation that are preventing deer from entering. They bloom well in the summer, especially in cooler climates. Bleeding Hearts range in color from white to various shades of pink.
Peonies smell good and are resistant to deer and pests. These are tough, reliable plants that will bloom continuously throughout the seasons.
Monkshood is a deep purple blooming flower that evolves from leafy greens that deer don't like. This is a great plant for late summer blooming.
Use shrubs as a barrier into your yard to prevent the deer from entering your yard altogether. You may like to have a professional landscaper install your shrubs to guarantee they grow properly.
Juniper repels deer because of the oils in its needles. Plant this as a barrier around your yard and deer will steer clear all year through.
The strong scent of the English Boxwood plant helps keep deer away. This is a versatile shrub that comes in various shapes and sizes that all take well to pruning.
It is unclear why deer stay away from gardens containing Japanese Sprirea, but it makes gardeners happy nonetheless. The plant offers lovely clusters of blooms in pink, white, and red along branches from Spring through Summer.
To add a flowering shrub to your landscape, look for the Bush Cinquefoil. The saucer-shaped blooms appear from June to September and vary from reddish orange to yellow as they fade. This is also noted as a pest-resistant plant.
To attract bees and butterflies and hummingbirds to your garden, try planting a Butterfly Bush. Flower colors vary from pink or deep purple to pure white on arching branches that bloom from Summer through Fall.
Groundcover is anything that will spread like crabgrass. You can use it as a deterrent in your garden and throughout your yard to deter deer. They will smell it and take the queue that your yard is not their meal.
Deer resistant grasses like the Japanese Sedge are good to use as groundcover and borders for your garden and landscape. This deer-resistant grass does particularly well in the shade and spreads fast.
Japanese Pachysandra is a popular groundcover because it takes off fast and doesn't relent. The leaves retain their color throughout the winter. Watch out for the spikes that emerge in early Spring.
This is a dainty little flower that adds a touch of class to your landscape. It also has a captivating scent that deer can't stand but you'll love.
Deer don't like ferns in general but this particular variety is an amazing accent in your garden. With accents of mauve and green, they hold their color all year through.
The Lady's Mantle is a popular groundcover because it's easy to care for. It thrives in the sun or the shade and is often planted as borders.
Keeping deer away from your garden with these plants will not only keep your yard fresh and thriving but it's a humane way to deter the deer. Deer resistant landscaping is the best and most efficient way to keep them away.
If you have questions or would like to schedule an appointment, feel free to contact us! We have been proudly serving the Bay area for over 40 years.