If you’ve noticed white-tailed deer munching on your garden, you’re not alone. These common New York herbivores can shape local landscapes but often clash with gardeners who want to protect their flowers and plants.
Deer are cute but can quickly turn your garden into their personal salad bar, eating many plants and flowers. However, you don’t have to give up on gardening. Choosing deer-resistant plants can keep your garden safe and beautiful.
At Down to Earth Living garden center in Pomona, experts recommend several plants that deer tend to avoid. Salvia, also called meadow sage, is a favorite choice. It comes in many colors like purple, blue, pink, white, and raspberry. Salvia blooms for a long time and is easy to care for, making it perfect for group plantings that deer usually leave alone.
Other deer-resistant options include foxgloves, which have tall stalks and bell-shaped flowers in colors that attract bumblebees but repel deer because they are toxic. Forsythias, with their woody branches and bright yellow flowers, are also disliked by deer.
For trees, spruces such as Alberta and Norway varieties are good picks. Peonies, known for their fragrant and colorful blooms, are another flower deer tend to avoid.
Experts say you can confidently plant these deer-resistant species, knowing they will likely survive deer visits from one day to the next.
In summary, by choosing the right plants like salvia, foxglove, forsythia, spruce trees, and peonies, gardeners in the Lower Hudson Valley can enjoy a thriving garden without constant worry about deer damage.
This approach helps balance the presence of deer in the area while protecting your garden’s beauty and health.
