Part One is a background of deer-resistant planting, design aspects and a suggestion list of ornamental grasses.
Part Two contains deer-resistant perennials for shade
Part Three contains deer-resistant perennials for sun and a list of links to information about gardening with deer.
A note about shade
As many who have come before me have pointed out, there are many types of shade. For a complete look at what types of shade there are, I recommend Types of Shade by our very own Marg Talt of Gardening in Shade on Suite101.com. This will help you determine how much shade you have.
Plant Listing for Shade
If you haven't read part one of this series yet, I advise you go back and read that now. This will have you an insight into chosing plants for deer tolerance. The following are those that I would trust as tried and true. You will find others that work for you, but it could be a local phenomenon.
Deer love many of the common shade plants; Hostas, Astilbes and Ajuga are among their favourites. If you are gardening in shade around deer and already accustomed to gardening in shade, you will have to think again and train yourself on a whole new set of plants.
- Acanthus spp. - Bear's Breech. All species of Bear's Breech are unpalatable to deer. These have very large bold leaves and interesting flower spikes to 5 feet tall. They will be happy in light shade but not deep shade.
- Aconitum spp. - Monkshood makes a great delphinium substitute in light shade. They are poisonous so deer will learn over time to leave them alone.
- Aruncus spp - Goat's Beard is a tall-growing plant with ferny leaves and fluffy flowers much like an astible. They will grow in light shade and sparsley in deep shade.
- Asarum spp. - Wild Ginger - A lovely groundcover. Look under the foliage to see the elusively attractive brown red perianth flower. The common species, A. canadense is very hardy and vigorous but if you are into the odd you may want to try Asarum magnificum, pictured at left.
- Convallaria majalis - Lily-of-the-Valley. Tiny white nodding bells clothed by elliptical leaves in late spring. Combine with ferns, oxalis oregana or asarum for a totally deer-resistant shaded groundcover.
- Geranium macrorrhizumThis hardy Cranesbill has a funk to it's leaves that deer don't like, although they will eat the flowers if there's nothing else around. Likes light-shade only.
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