I have to suggest plantings for a bed about 20 feet each way in a paved parking lot in full sun and wind. We also have both deer and rabbits. The previous caretaker planted 2 lilacs and many daffodil bulbs. The lilacs currently live in chicken wire cloaks for deer security! Any planting suggestions- low growing drought tolerant, wind proof, unappealing to the wildlife? Aside from sage, lavendar and thyme ? The deer don't eat kinnickinnick in my garden a mile away, but there are other choices- same with phormium. Help greatly appreciated Isabel
Is mature plant height a concern? If you're looking for short plants have you considered ornamental grasses and pearly everlasting? For taller plants how about excallonia or ceanothus?
Ceanothus is high on my list, but unfortunately it is high on the deer taste panel. I was wondering abut grasses, and how drought tolerant they are- I have never had deer damage on any I grow, but most like a bit of coddling for the first year or two. There are those two silly lilacs in the bed, so any bigger shrubs would have to be carefully thought out. Silly in that they will have to wear chicken wire forever. The joys of country life. Isabel
Deer are selective. Anything novel to the individuals present may be browsed. Look around for candidates in the neighborhood. We don't see them going for lilacs in the Camano Island garden, but apparently the deer where you are do. Likelihood of being browsed varies with kind of ceanothus.
I did a bit of research about deer resistant planting on Vancouver Island recently and found out that the Town of Comox is using a product called Plant Skid that is a blood-meal based deer repellent that works really well at keeping deer from munching their plants, they use it sparingly on their most ornamental plantings. It's water soluable and gets sprayed on every couple of weeks (weather depending). It is available from Evergro (contact Vancouver store @ Ontario & Marine drive 322-6652). As far as plants go, I'd try planting things with thorns (shrubs - berberis, roses trees - Ussurian pear, Robinia) that will be harder for them to eat. Other sun-loving plants that are relatively 'deer resistant' are shrubs Buddleja, Cotinus, Lavendula, Potentilla, Ribes, Viburnum plicatum. No guarantees though, deer seem willing to eat just about anything if they get hungry enough. Not unlike teenage boys.
