Garden Center in Hudson, NH

Countrybrook Farms Nursery & Garden Center
175 Lowell Road Route 3A
Hudson, NH USA 03051
603-886-5200

"Where your daydream landscape becomes reality" 


Deer Resistant?

Enchantment and frustration; those emotions smack into each other when gardeners see the lovely deer munching plants in the yard. Do you run for the camera, or start screaming "My garden is not your salad bar!”
Generally, deer will pass up the strong scented and very course texture plants. They might nibble a little here and there, but usually don't graze on them for long. BUT not even the "Deer Resistant Plants" are 100% foolproof. The deer don't read the lists. Combining several different methods are required to keep them away from plants, particularly when winter is harsh and the snow is plentiful. 

Repellents

Virtually dozens of repellents have been tried by inventive and very desperate gardeners. They all work for a short while, but none works forever, because deer get accustomed to them. The trick, therefore, is to switch repellents every few weeks. Spray plants regularly, depending on weather, and repeat after heavy rain.

Ro-Pel and other commercial animal repellents work very well. But let me warn you, if you accidently get it in your mouth, it is the most vile bitter tasting stuff you will ever encounter.  Before beginning, put a plastic bag over your hand to keep the repellent from dripping onto your skin. Better yet, two or three plastic bags would be better. Stand upwind of plants you are spraying; this spray also works to repel humans!
Other little helpful tricks: Bars of soap hanging in onion bags from tree branches. (Irish Spring is said to work best) Pet hair clumps scaterered through the area the deer frequently browse. Predetor urine including coyote, fox, pets, and yes human too! If you are able to check for tracks in the snow, and can determine their route into your yard. Hanging strips of cloth soaked in Repel along with running fishing line between trees or shrubs as if it is a fence, will help deter them. Motion sensor sprinklers are are reported to work very well and can also be amusing when you see it in action. Most vulnerable plants that are frequently browsed like Arborvitae and Yews can be protected with chicken wire fence or burlap wrapped around them for the winter months when deer do the most damage.

Deer-Resistant Trees,  Shrubs & Roses

American Holly
Andromeda (Pieris japonica)
Aucuba japonica
Barberry
Beauty Berry (Callicarpa)
Blue Spiraea (Caryopteris)
Blue Spruce (Picea pungens)
Bottlebrush Buckeye (Aesculus parviflora)
Boxwood (Buxus)
Brooms (Cytisus and Genista)
Butterfly Bush (Buddleia)
Chaste Tree (Vitex angus-castus)
Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)
Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas)
Cotoneaster
Cryptomeria
Daphne                                 
Forsythia
Grape Holly (Mahonia)
Inkberry Holly (Ilex glabra)
Japanese Maple
Japanese Plum Yew (Cephalotaxus)
Juniper - especially J. virginiana
Kerria
Leucothoe
Lilacs (except Miss Kim)
Magnolias - deciduous species
Miscanthus (Ornamental Grasses) 
Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia)
Nandina
Northern Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica)
Norway Spruce (Picea abies)
Paw Paw (Asimina triloba)
Pee Gee Hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata)
Potentilla
Rose of Sharon (Hibsicus syriacus)
Rugosa Roses
Serbian Spruce (Picea omorika)
Serviceberry (Amelanchier)
Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)
Spiraeas -
St. John’s Wort (Hypericum)
Sweet Box (Sarcococca)    
Viburnum
Sweetshrub (Calycanthus floridus)


Deer Resistant Perennials

Achillea                                                      (Yarrow)
Agastache
Amsonia tabernaemontana                            (Bluestar)
Anemone sp.
Aquilegia                                                    (Columbine)
Artemesia
Asclepias tuberosa                                   (Butterfly Weed)
Aster
Astilbe
Baptisia
Boltonia asteroides
Buddleia davidii                                               (Butterfly Bush)
Calamintha
Calluna                                                                (Heather)
Campanula carpatica                                        (Bellflower)
Centaurea sp.
Ceratostigma plumbaginoides
Chrysanthemum x superbum (sometimes nipped)
Cimicifuga racemosa
Clematis
Coreopsis sp.
Delphinium
Echinacea purpurea                                 (Purple Coneflower)
Echinops
Erica                                                                    (Heath)
Eupatorium                                                       (Joe-Pye Weed)
Euphorbia (Spurge)
Geranium (especially G. macrorrhizum)
Grasses, Ornamental
Gypsophila paniculata                                        (Baby's Breath)
Helenium
Iberis sempervirens
Iris sibirica
Iris, Bearded (buds sometimes eaten)
Lavandula                                                           (Lavender)
Liatris spicata                                                        (Gayfeather)
Linum perenne
Lupinus
Monarda                                                              (Bee Balm)
Nepeta                                                                  (Catmint)
Oenothera                                                 (Evening Primrose)
Paeonia                                                                (Peony)
Perovskia                                                   (Russian Sage)
Platycodon grandiflorus                                      (Balloon Flower)
Potentilla sp.
Rosmarinus officinalis                                                 (Rosemary)
Salvia sp.
Solidago                                                               (Goldenrod)
Stachys byzantinus                                        (Lamb's Ears)
Thymus                                                                         (Thyme)
Verbascum sp                                                                (Mullein)
Veronica latifolia
Wisteria
Yucca

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