I've never known deer to touch impatiens. And they also don't seem to like astilbe, bleeding hearts, columbine or common ostrich ferns. I get lots of deer and those few shade tolerant plants have never been touched even in desperate times. I'm sure there are more others could recommend.

There are a great many gorgeous, deer resistant plants for shade, but your problem is not shade but the greedy roots of the maple that suck all nutrients and moisture out of the soil. It is nearly impossible to grow much under a maple, and building beds won't help as the roots will grow into the beds within a year.

BTW, deer resistant shade plants include Pulmonarias, Brunneras, Lamiums, Lamiastrums, Hellebores, Cimicifugas, Erythroniums, Dodacatheons, Epimediums, Digitalis--and others less well-known. But none of them will be happy under a maple.

I grow the plain old Orange Daylilies under a Sugar maple in the front yard. They grow okay and the deer don't touch them. But I agree with laceyvail, it will be very difficult to grow anything under a maple, especially if it is a Silver maple or a Norway maple. Sugar maples are a little easier, but they have sensitive roots that resent disturbance, so I wouldn't recommend digging under one much.

Just wanted to add -- don't plant Impatiens, the deer love them! I have had many experiences with deer problems and those, along with Hosta's are a no-no for me.

Pam

I'm surprised how much deer's palates vary by location - and that's always something to keep in mind. I have LOTS of deer in my wooded yard, but they've never touched the hundreds of hostas I have. Yet I would never suggest that deer won't eat hosta . The ones in my area just don't eat mine. I've never seen them nibble on the arborvitae either, which they should also love. In my yard they prefer the apple trees, daylily buds (of course), and emerging liliums in spring. Your mileage will probably vary!

Regards,
- Becky

Barrenwort (Epimedium) does very well in dry shade and I've never seen the deer bother them. They don't have a huge showy flower, but a lovely delicate looking bloom and very nice foliage.

Oh, boy! When I worked at a garden center, questions about deer were so frequent. It seems that deer will eat almost anything when hungry, and if I were you, I'd go with something cheap... just in case.

So I guess not Monkshood (too tall for you). Maybe you'd just want lots of mulch because, truly, our biggest "repeat" customers were those people buying replacement plants. And the more you plant, the more the deer will come. Afterall, why eat bark off of trees when people are setting out tasty "buffets" along migratory routes?

I once lived near woods and would have them come into my yard. They would graze on absolutely everything. One or two would even SIT DOWN! for a rest on my flowers between courses. I'd have to go outside and chase them off my lawn. So good luck.

Molie

Thanks to you all for the sound advices, I have many choices here.

I think the maple is actually a Japaness Maple, because of it's age, this one is huge.

Today, I was removing dead daffodil leaves under the maple tree, did notice that soil is very dry, if I would water it more often, will it help ? I want to make sure I can have a decent bed before any planting.

Thanks to you all - Suzy

Try Milorganite sprinkled around plants. IT WILL KEEP THE DEER AWAY.

If your soil is "very dry" in spring, imagine what that maple takes out of it in summer! I repeat, you can't really garden under a maple. It sucks out all moisture and nutrients, and with water supplies getting trickier and trickier, planning to water a mature maple in hopes of getting something to survive under it is not acceptable. Look at all those fibrous roots!!!

You might be successful in getting Liriope to establish, and possibly one of the tougher Epimediums, both highly deer resistant.

The deer here must have a lot of wild forage, because they are picky about what they eat in the garden. They come through and nibble on their favorite things, like they are eating salad or dessert, but haven't caused significant damge (as yet).

For examples there are 5 or 6 types of Hostas in the yard, but they only like one - the Hosta "Royal Standard", a pretty white fragrant Hosta. Here is what they did to a patch a couple years ago - after that I sprayed it with "Deer Out", and it really worked - they haven't touched it since.

{{gwi:212788}}