Maryland - Shasta Daisys (blooming) were ignored right next to perennial black-eyed-susans which were literally mowed down (just before blooming) in one garden. On the other side of the house, both were mowed down to the ground; both were JUST before buds opened; I think they prefer the young greenery. Once the flowers are open, they might be safer from deer. Really pointy hollies they leave alone (so far) but any hollies without the stickers, they eat them, especially new growth. Invasives? They ate a fence full of Virginia Creeper, but only on one side of the fence--of course, the side we get to look at. Daffodils? They don't eat them, just bite off the buds and spit them out. Hyacinths have been untouched. Marigolds? They just pull them out of the ground, then spit them out to dry up and die. Forget about the hydrangeas and daylillies. I've seen them eat the neighbor's barberry bushes, thorns and all. My barberries, they just step on and break. Iris goes untouched. Coral bells survive some nibbling. Periwinkle groundcover survives unless they pull it out. Most of my neighbors have arborvitae--there's a contest for the best "deer topiary." I'm trying some ferns now, some wild from our woods, some purchased. The nursery had a sale for "a buck a piece" but I hope that doesn't mean they are FOR the bucks. I know, lame joke. Motion activated lights? The deer look happier, oh thank you, now they can see what they are eating! Motion activated water? Oh, thank you, what a nice bath. Motion activated sound? Oh, thank you, piped in music. Barking dogs? Oh, don't worry, they can't get out. Coyote urine? Oh, just eat around it, there are starving children in the next county. My hairdresser gave me a bag of hair cuttings to try. One of her customers swears by it. Didn't help my poor hydrangea, though. Maybe I'll try tying little mesh bags full. The hydrangea has become the "deer test" for many supposed deterrents. None have worked so far. BlueBars

I have found that the deer here will eat many plants that are on the lists of deer resistant plants, but at least the lists give you a starting point. And, don't let today fool you. It is going to be in the 70s and 80s today, but many of us have a freeze in the forecast for overnight Saturday into Sunday morning, so keep that in mind when purchasing and planting. In our home landscape, deer simply devour most veggies, especially okra, pepper plants, tomato plants, pumpkin and squash plants, swiss chard, carrots, broccoli, cabbage, etc. They don't touch many herbs like basil, parsley, catmint, lemon balm, borage, catnip, sage, oregano, etc. They do eat hollyhocks, sunflowers (eat them right down to the ground), hardy hibiscus, begonias, nasturtiums, daturas, and hostas, but they don't eat four o'clocks, verbena bonariensis, dusty miller, most salvias, cleome, cannas, zinnias, veronica, honeysuckle, iris, shasta daisies, morning glories, moonflower vine, sweet alyssum, globe amaranth, celosias and amaranths, black-eyed susan vine, cypress vine, cardinal climber vine, mina lobata and canary creeper vine. At our house they will browse on Texas Red Star hibiscus and Castor Bean foliage, but don't care as much for those and usually stop after they eat a couple of leaves. The shrubs we have that they seldom nibble include Burford Holly, Stokes Yaupon Holly, Possumhaw Holly, American Beautyberry, Southern Wax Myrtle, dwarf nandinas, and dwarf junipers. The worse the conditions in terms of drought or just a lack of available browse in the wintertime, the more the deer will nibble plants (out of desperation) that they don't normally bother. At our house they generally don't bother American Cross Vine, Wisteria, both the orange and yellow-flowered Trumpet Creeper or coral honeysuckle. They also don't eat purple wintercreeper. I have the worst trouble in early spring when the deer are desperate for ANYTHING and they tend to nibble and sometimes devour anything I plant, no matter what it is, so most of the plants I care about go into an area with a 7' tall fence. Once Apr./May arrive and there is significant green-up of native vegetation, they generally won't bother as many varieties of plants as they do in Feb./Mar. In general, the deer don't bother native plants and hybrids developed from native plants as much as they devour exotic, expensive, imported ones. I have linked one list for you below. You can google "deer resistant plants" and get many other such lists. Here is a link that might be useful: One List of Deer Resistant Plants

I live in the woods, and am mostly surrounded by thousands of acres of state forest and open space. Deer are NOT losing their habitat in this state; in fact, there are more deer in the state than ever before. This is because we've killed off or severely reduced their natural predators (wolves, pumas, coyotes) and because we have created a virtual food bonanza for them in the form of cute suburban lawns and forsythias. And also because hunters are obsessed with shooting bucks and have no interest in shooting does, who are popping out fawns as fast as they can. Here's what the Pa. Game Commission says: "Deer are a valuable natural resource, but they must be closely managed or they'll quickly overpopulate the range they inhabit. When overpopulation occurs, deer strip their habitat of its life-supporting qualities, not just for deer, but for many woodland wildlife species. Crop and other property damage problems also increase, as well as deer-vehicle collisions." I can shoot a bullet through my seven acres at shoulder height and see clear through to a target at the other end. Why? Because the deer are stripping every shrub and sapling within reach. This is NOT good for anyone or anything. Smaller forest creatures have no habitat to shelter in, and the forests are losing valuable hardwoods that deer prefer to chomp on. Oh, and the million-plus deer in Pennsylvania are actually competing with each other to survive, there are so many of them. It's nuts! Please, don't feel sorry for Bambi. He's doing just fine. Too fine, in fact. More cites: http://naturetourism.allegheny.edu/essay_deeroverpopulation.html http://pa.audubon.org/docs/deer_report/phila_inqr_avril_2005-01-12.pdf

There are loads of sites on deer resistant plantings ( you can google around to find many) I'd try the local extension service. Our Va. Master Gardeners have compiled a wonderful list for our area...not sure if it's on the web. Or a local Landscape and Nurseryman's Association. A good garden center, landscape contactor or landscape designer might be a resource. Keep in mind that if deer are hungry enough they will eat almost anything. In our area the best plants are boxwoods, junipers, nandina, hollies (generally). Avoid azaleas, daylilies, hostas and impatiens. Good Luck!