Need a gameplan: Dry Shade, Deer Resistant Spring Bulbs + perenn

18 years ago

My next garden project involves an area under a tree that is near our driveway entrance, very visible to the street. I'm an avid spring bulb fan (think Keukenhof!) but I'm still adjusting to this neighborhood overrun with those giant plant-munching evil rats aka deer :-(

I had success last summer using Deer Off and similar products on tasty plants, but I'd like to find a better long term solution to install in this area. In the past, I frequently planted hostas along with my spring bulbs, but that's not the best option with all those Bambis in the 'hood!

The bed still needs some preparation, but my game plan is to put an undecided annual there for *this* summer, put some bulbs in in the fall, and put my perennial in either this fall or next spring. Perhaps a groundcover? (other than ivy)

I already have mini daffs under another tree in the front yard, so I'd like to explore some other bulb options. Would muscari,chionodoxa, or ipheion work? What dry shade tolerant, critter resistant perennial would go on top?

Thanks!

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Comments (5)

laceyvail 6A, WV
18 years ago
Deer resistant perennials for shade and partial shade include Pulmonaria, Dodacatheons, Erythroniums, Lamiums, Lamiastrums, Aquilegia, Arisemas, Arums, Geranium macrorhizum (but not necessarily other geraniums), Saruma henryii, Tiarellas, Polemoniums, Cimicifugas, Chamelireum luteum (Devil's Bit), Hellebores, Hakonechloas, Chasmanthium luteum, Epimediums, woodland Peonies (P. obovata, P. mlokowitschii, etc)--a HUGE range of choices.

Bulbs include Daffodils (Narcissus 'Hawera' is especially nice), Chionodoxa, Scillas, Puschkinias, Crocus tomasinnianus (but not necessarily other crocus).
geoforce
18 years ago
I suffer from an infestation of these animated defoliation experts as well. Because of this, my shady plan is mainly based on spring daffodils and a mix of hellebores, epimediums, and arum (Arum Italicum. This gives great late winter and spring color, and essentially year around foliage, then the arum seed spikes for fall color. So far, hardy begonias(Begonia grandis) have survived well for a bit of late summer and fall bloom, and great foliage color and shape. Still looking for something for late spring and summer color, but everything else has so far proven to be deer candy.

George
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spazzycat, yum, yum! that wandering jew is gorgeous! I'll try to see if I can add it next year. Great choice. thenk you. david 5311, Knautia 'Mars Midget' sounds like a wonderful choice. I've never grown it. so it will be a fun new plant to add to my garden bed next year. As for crocosmia. I tried lucifer last year. the deer ate *all* of the blooms and the voles ate all of the bulbs. I don't have one plant left :-( My deer seem to delight in taking all of the fun out of gardening for me. they generally will just eat all of the flowers. so I have lots of plants but seldom a bloom. there are only a few plants that they won't touch -- euphorbia and datura come to mind (poisonus plants). but in the poisonus category (or at least my understanding that they are) are irises, and the deer eat them up like candy every year. Go figure. After having said that, you all have given me some wonderful suggestions for plants that I haven't tried yet. and it's always fun to put out a new plant in the garden to see if the deer will eat them. Thank you ever so much for your input.
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Thanks for the suggestions. I'll probably take you up on most of them, with the possible exception of Lamium -- I'm fighting it off in a couple of other areas, so I'm kind of sorry I ever planted it. The other thing I may do is to install drip irrigation in this bed. It's a border strip at the back of my yard, and is about 25 feet wide x 110 feet long. I have an abundant supply of T-tape irrigation tape, as well as all of the fittings, and this would help a lot with the drought situation, which can be an issue since the soil is a sandy loam. I think that some of the Nepeta species might work as well. As I said, the area does get some dappled sunlight throughout the year. In the next few weeks as time permits, I'm "going in" and doing some major thinning and pruning on most of the trees (except the oaks, which I have to do in the winter to avoid oak wilt) and shrubs. I hope to rework the perennial plantings in late summer, so that it's established and looks good next year. Does anyone know if any of the gentian species will tolerate these conditions? I used to have bottle and fringed gentian in the area, and it seems that they did well in similar conditions in similar native soils.
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You folks are awesome! I'll try to answer all the questions... What was there already: 3 hydrangeas, 1 scraggly rhodie, 3 geraniums, several unidentified scraggly shrubs, 2 salvia, hyacinth, several spring bulbs that don't flower (only greenery) and trees (hickory and invasive Norway maple). What I have planted over the past 2 growing seasons: oat grass (against the fence), 1 honeysuckle (against the fence), lamb's ear, 4 lavender, 4 thyme, 4 sage, 4 oregano (I love to cook), 6 daylilies, 3 bleeding heart bulbs, 6 astilbe bulbs, garden phlox/coneflower/rudbeckia (all get eaten by squirrels/chipmunks/groundhogs), crocus bulbs (gets eaten as well), lupine and sweet woodruff. Treatment of the beds: year 1 we applied (not free) compost. Year 2 (last year) we cut down 3 Norway maples and chipped them for mulch. We mulch with shredded leaves (6 inches depth) every fall and mulch with our maple mulch in spring. We have an irrigation system that we run when we don't have enough rain and it gets 90% of the beds. I will hand-water whatever it doesn't reach. The soil looks good - nice and black with tons of worms, although it's definitely on the rocky/sandy side. We are 1 mile from the ocean on top of a granite ledge so the majority of the soil was brought in when the house was built 30 years ago. Growing grass in our shady areas is an exercise in futility! Future plans: I'm not a big fan of shrubs in general. I have no interest in evergreens or "winter interest" since we spend zero time in the yard in winter. I'm happy to have all perennials back there. It's quite shady back there and if I was starting from scratch I'd get rid of all the trees and plant different ones: Japanese maple, Kousa dogwood, some fruit trees etc but currently doing all that is cost-prohibitive since we have $30k of ice damn damage that needs to be repaired :( I'd also like to get some spring bulbs in - muscari edging, maybe some daffodils (since I know they won't get eaten), and I'm hoping the lily of the valley I planted will one day show up. We have a ton of hostas in other parts of the yard, so I'd like to go with other things if possible. Regarding the sweet woodruff - do I need to move the mulch in order to encourage it to spread? Perhaps that's part of the problem?
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ego45
18 years ago
ALL peonies are deerproof(for more or less sunny locations). P. tenuifolia (fernleaf peony and its hybrids) bloom very early and might get enough sun to bloom before trees will be fully leafout. P. veitchii is the perfect woodlander for part shade as well.
All astilbes and acontiums are deerproof (for more or less shady locations). Dicentra eximia is deerproof and will bloom from early May till frost in part to full shade.
Jap. anemone most likely will be out of deers interests and would prefer part-sun to sun.
jenn
18 years ago
DON'T PLANT IPHEION!!!

They will take over your yard like an invasive weed spreading via seeds that scatter EVERYWHERE. I planted a few (2-3) here and there in the front yard and we now have large patches of them yards away where I never even planted them, and coming up in between other plants. I've spent HOURS sifting HUNDREDS of them out of a small square-foot area of soil, only to have a new patch of them the next season. I'm starting to find them in the back yard now. They are my worse gardening mistake, ever!

Some people will tell you they weren't invasive in their yard. But if they aren't invasive at all, they wouldn't have multiplied like rabbits in mine, would they? Don't take a chance with them, you might be one of the unlucky ones like me.

DON'T PLANT IPHEION!!

Consider yourself warned.........
Jen
patwood
18 years ago
The deer in our area haven't touched my Fritillaria meleagris, and it seems to be doing okay in partial shade. My Chinodoxia and Scilla have also escapted unscathed. Bleeding heart does very well, but may need more water than you can provide. Species tulips haven't been eaten by the deer or groundhogs, but this is my first year with them, so this is hardly conclusive.

Need a gameplan: Dry Shade, Deer Resistant Spring Bulbs + perenn

Comments (5)

laceyvail 6A, WV

geoforce

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ego45

jenn

patwood

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