Deer Resistant Perennials Perennial Plants That Deer Usually Don't Eat
It is a natural desire to protect the perennials you take care of with so much affection, and it can be so disappointing to find your plant damaged by insects or eaten by much bigger visitors of your garden such as deer!
If it is an issue in the place where you live, perhaps it is easier to choose the deer resistant plants for your garden? In any case, there are no such plants as deer proof ones. There are only plants that deer would not prefer to eat and are unlikely to aim for if they pass by your way.
Therefore, these are plants that get eaten quite rarely by deer. Among such plants there are Achilleas, Ajugas, Astilbes, Campanulas, Coreopsis, Echinaceas, Lavenders, Catmints, Perovski (Russian Sage) and Platycodon (Balloon Flower).
Ajuga
Ajuga is a great deer resistant plant for a ground cover. It comes in a great number of varieties and has a colorful foliage which looks great in combination of different shades. This plant spreads very easily and requires almost no maintenance.
Campanula
Campanula plant is known as Bellflower and looks very tender and fragile with its pastel bell shaped flowers. If you want to have a plant in your garden which does not require too much troubles with planting – Bellflower is a perfect option for you. Many varieties of it will self-seed all over your garden. You will find it very fascinating, but deer are not really interested in them.
Echinacea or Coneflower
The Coneflower is another representative of deer resistant perennials. Not only ordinary purple, but newer varieties with colours such as red, orange and burgundy flowers are quite deer resistant.
Lavender
Lavender is an extremely popular among the gardeners and quite adaptable perennial. Can be grown in most climate zones, and will be definitely appreciated by everybody who visits your garden, except deer.
Catmint
Catmint is recommended to opt for the newer cultivars, as some of the weedy varieties have a tendency to rather aggressive self-seeding.
This plant will bring a freshness of blue to your garden for most of the season. In case with Catmint, it is not deer who will be attracted to it, but a great number of cats. So if you are fond of both flowers and felines, Catmint is a number one priority in your garden. If you don't want to attract the neighbourhood cats, avoid it!
Perovski or Russian Sage
Perovski is chosen by numerous gardeners not only because of its flowers, but also for the leaves. Its foliage is fuzzy, gray in color and fragrant.
Besides, it looks like an attractive lace. The more mature the plant, the brighter color its blue flowers have. It requires very little care (only pruning in spring) and is out of danger of being eaten by deer.
Platycodon or Balloon Flower
Platycodon is a heavy bloomer with large blue flowers, very beautiful and unusual. The flowers have a shape of a balloon before bursting, and this fact explains its name. There are also varieties with white, purple and pink blossoms, and neither of them are attractive to deer.
There are also other deer resistant perennials, but the fact is that the best protection against these animals would be a fence around your garden. Beautifully decorated with vine plants, it can look exceedingly picturesue.
If it is an issue in the place where you live, perhaps it is easier to choose the deer resistant plants for your garden? In any case, there are no such plants as deer proof ones. There are only plants that deer would not prefer to eat and are unlikely to aim for if they pass by your way.
