The desire to live in close proximity to nature has caused a clash between man and animal, and the battlefield is the garden and landscape of thousands of residential properties. The expansion of suburbs and second homes in rural settings has increasingly pitted homeowners against the growing population of white-tailed deer in these areas, while older inner suburbs in Northeast metropolitan areas now have lots of resident deer. As a landscape architect with projects in many parts of the United States, I have seen an increase in the amount of damage hungry deer cause to home landscapes. Understandably, many homeowners feel defeated after losing many valuable plants to intense browsing by deer, as experts euphemistically call it.
How can we landscape our home to meet our goal of a beautiful, colorful and lush environment while protecting the substantial investment in landscaping and landscape maintenance costs? Some methods are more effective than others, and we can take a two- or three-pronged approach to protecting our gardens and repelling the deer that cause the damage.
One way is to limit the amount of garden grown, especially in more natural areas. Yes, deer consume native plantation and understory vegetation and our Northeast forests have become much poorer for it. But philosophically, the simplest approach to reducing deer damage is to retain as much of the natural landscape in place as possible. This means limiting building damage by using sturdy fencing to exclude heavy machinery from natural areas on sites where new homes are being built. It is always easier to preserve areas of natural beauty than to try to recreate and revegetate them once lost to construction damage. However, most homeowners will want landscapes with more color, variety, and interest than the existing native landscaping provides. As landscape architects, we can balance these wants and limitations to come up with solutions for deer vs. landscape puzzle.
Besides limiting cultivated plantings that are particularly attractive to deer (deer salad), what are other ways to have a beautiful garden that inspires you and provides a satisfying backdrop to enjoy your property? I discuss the three main approaches below.
Fencing
Why don’t we build fences to keep deer out of our gardens? Everyone loves the white picket fence, and a lot of properties with pools have to be fenced by law anyway, right? Well, it’s not as simple as that. Deer are great jumpers and a standard 3- or 4-foot fence presents little deterrent to deer. I have seen deer jump a 5 or even 6 foot fence given the determination and help of the higher adjacent topography. If we want to totally exclude deer from our property, we often have to erect a 7 foot high fence. This can be quite effective, although deer often learn to burrow under such fences or physically tear them apart with antlers. Fencing is expensive, aesthetically challenging, and local planning and zoning regulations may prohibit high fencing. The upside is that with effective property fencing and gates, the owner or designer has exponentially more choice in planting options.
plant selection
The second most effective way to deal with ravenous deer is to plant only those shrubs, annuals and perennials that deer rarely damage. I say seldom damage, because there are always exceptions to the rule when it comes to so-called deer-proof garden plants, especially in the harshest of winters when lack of forage can lead deer to consume hitherto unpalatable vegetation. I have seen deer eat or damage many plantations that were specially selected for their resistance to deer. The key is to stay on top of local knowledge about what plants deer eat in your specific community. Local garden clubs, chat rooms, and landscapers are a great source of local information. That said, there are more than enough plants in the repertoire that deer rarely touch to create a lush and attractive garden or to decorate your property. Many nursery catalogs have lists of deer-resistant plants, and the state extension service in your area will likely have lists of similar plants available on the web.
Sound and Repellents
Other options, which I will discuss but don’t normally use in my projects because I just don’t find these methods to be very effective in the long or even short term. Commercial deer repellent applicators may persuade you otherwise, but foliar repellents and scented treatments alone will ultimately not deter hungry deer from consuming your roses! The same goes for ultrasonic sound units that are meant to scare deer. Deer are very adept at adapting to these treatments and will surprise you by damaging your newly planted hydrangeas.
On a positive note, it is certainly possible, with good plant design and selection, often in combination with a clever fencing solution, to have a very attractive, award-winning quality patio and gardens.
Means:
Cornell University Department of Horticulture – http://www.gardening.cornell.edu/factsheets/deerdef/
Monrovia Nurseries Deer Resistant List –
http://www.monrovia.com/plant-catalog/search/?special_feature=6