Meet the plants that have proved to be deer-resistant in our gardens
A public service announcement prior to getting this episode started: There is no such thing as a deer-proof plant. If deer are hungry enough, they will even eat things that are supposedly toxic to them. But there are such things as deer-resistant plants.
So, on this recording of Let’s Argue About Plants, Danielle and Carol share some of the plants that have stood up to the herds that visit their backyards, and their colleague Diana Koehm offers some additional suggestions of plants that deer tend to ignore in her neck of the woods.
Episode Expert: Diana Koehm is the content editor for Fine Gardening magazine.
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Danielle’s Deer-Resistant Picks
- ‘Woodland Elf’ epimedium (Epimedium ‘Woodland Elf’, Zones 4b-9)
- ‘Limeglow’ creeping juniper (Juniperus horizontalis ‘Limeglow’, Zones 3-9)
- ‘Rosemoor’ geranium (Geranium × magnificum ‘Rosemoor’, Zones 5-8)
- Dwarf fothergilla (Fothergilla gardenii, Zones 5-8)
‘Woodland Elf’ epimedium. Photo courtesy of Walters Gardens & Proven Winners®
‘Limeglow’ creeping juniper habit
‘Rosemoor’ geranium
Dwarf fothergilla habit
Carol’s Deer-Resistant Picks
- ‘Summer Beauty’ allium (Allium tanguticum ‘Summer Beauty’, Zones 4-9)
- Smooth ironweed (Vernonia fasciculata, Zones 4-9)
- ‘Champagne Bubbles Mix’ Icelandic poppy (Oreomecon nudicaulis syn. Papaver nudicaule, Zones 2-7)
- Eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana, Zones 2-9)
‘Summer Beauty’ allium
Smooth ironweed
‘Champagne Bubbles Mix’ Icelandic poppy Photo courtesy of Johnny’s selected seed
Eastern red cedar with ‘Amethyst Falls’ wisteria (Wisteria frutescens ‘Amethyst Falls’, Zones 5-9) and Golden Spirit smoketree (Cotinus coggygria ‘Ancot’, Zones 5-8)
Deer in Carol’s Yard
Expert Diana Koehm’s Deer-Resistant Picks
- ‘Satyr Hill’ American holly (Ilex opaca ‘Satyr Hill’, Zones 5-8)
- ‘Hadspen Cream’ brunnera (Brunnera macrophylla ‘Hadspen Cream’, Zones 3-7)
- PowWow® Wild Berry coneflower (Echinacea purpurea ‘Pas702917’, Zones 3-8)
‘Satyr Hill’ American holly
Foliage of Hadspen Cream brunners. Hakonechloa behind
Close up PowWow® Wild Berry echinacea
Photos courtesy of the contributors unless otherwise noted.
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ARS Telescoping Long Reach Pruner
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Pruning Simplified: A Step-by-Step Guide to 50 Popular Trees and Shrubs
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