A Beautiful Home & Garden Made Easy
If you are always on the look-out for new, unique and interesting plants, then Mangave plants are for you! These are a relatively new group of plants that were recently “discovered” that is taking the plant world by storm. A Mangave is a cross between an Agave and Manfreda plant. It is very unlikely that … Read more
This article contains affiliate links for advertisers of this site. See disclosure page for more information. Have you ever marveled at the beauty of someone’s yard when tulips and daffodils are in full bloom? I do- every year. It can be a breathtaking sight after a long, cold Ohio winter. I want more of that … Read more
I have lived in northeastern Ohio my whole life and seeing deer is commonplace, even in densely populated suburban and urban areas. My husband Jimmy and I like to walk through many of the beautiful public parks and it isn’t uncommon to see deer grazing. Quite often, we are able to walk within 5 feet of them and they are not skittish or frightened by our presence. It is as if they expect to see us! Last week we saw a mother nursing her baby from about 15 feet away. The mother saw us but didn’t mind us watching. I love seeing them in nature. Their big brown eyes are adorable and they are beautiful… until they start devouring my landscape!
Realtree.com estimates that Ohio has 18.3 deer per square mile, third highest in the country. So Ohio gardeners especially know how deer can make their yard a nightly buffet. There are many products designed to help keep deer away, however they generally need to be reapplied regularly and aren’t an effective long-term solution. One of the best strategies is to continue to add deer resistant shrubs and plants to your landscape. Although there isn’t any plant that is deer-proof, they certainly have favorite plants and will seek those out over those that they find distasteful.
Below is a list of deer resistant shrubs and trees. If you live in an area with a high deer population, these plants won’t be their favorites and will make it easier to have a beautiful, enjoyable landscape. Also, see our list of deer resistant annuals and perennials.
Deer can be one of the most voracious pests in the yard and garden, but they are very picky eaters. Although there aren’t any “deer-proof” plants, there are plants that they will only eat as a last resort when starving. Plants that have scented foliage, textured leaves, thorns or sap in the stem are much less appealing. If you live in an area with a high deer population, the following plants will have a better chance of escaping deer damage.