 Bucks fighting in client's back yard. Photo credit: Liz Allen, all rights reserved. People aren’t the only living creatures who will appreciate your beautiful outdoor living space. Wildlife, particularly deer and rabbits, may be drawn to your garden retreat, confusing it as an open invitation to feast on your beloved annuals, perennials and foliage. Hostas, tulips, sweet peas, morning glories, forsythia, honeysuckle, roses, irises, lilies, and young trees and shrubs are all examples of tempting offerings. Some plants, on the other hand, are not appealing to foraging palates. Deer and rabbits are not partial to plants with thorns, strong odors or flavors (think herbs), sap, thick, furry or rough-textured leaves, or succulents. Consider alternatives like alliums, lavender, poppies, daffodils, hardy geraniums and columbine. If you simply must have palatable plants in your landscape, consider adding some wildlife repellents such as human or dog hair or scented bar soap. There are other commercially available deterrents, but what repels deer may not keep away rabbits. Preventive options include keeping your yard free of brush piles and installing wire fencing at heights appropriate for keeping out deer or rabbits. Rutgers Cooperative Extension has published an extensive list of plants and their relative deer resistance. This is a great place to start when looking for deer proofing your landscape! I recommend viewing the pdf file, as it is organized a bit clearer into plant groupings.
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