We love our Deer when they visit us just about every Day/Evening. We even built a Deer shed with corn, water and straw to bed down during inclement weather.
We thought this would help keep them away from our front gardens of seasonal flowers. Just lost $24.00 of newly planted pansies. Not bad enough that they striped every flower but ended up, uprooting some since they had not had a chance to set a good root system.
Help,! Any Recommendations!?

Too late now, but feeding the deer will tend to attract more deer. Plastic plants may be your best bet.

Paul, I don't think it's necessary for you to resort to using plastic plants... we live in the middle of the forest, with lots of deer and other critters, and still manage to grow a good variety of plants; the veg garden is fenced but there are several flower gardens that aren't.

First, NOTHING is actually "deer proof," but some things are less bothered by the deer (and rabbits) than others. Pansies are definitely a delicacy for them, as are hostas, sunflowers, impatiens and daylilies. They rarely seem to bother iris (although I have had it happen), and they've never touched my bleeding hearts, flowering tobacco, astilbe, columbine, foxglove, baptisia, or marigolds. If you are set on growing plants that the deer particularly like, you need to protect them with an enclosure of some sort.

Here's a good reference for plants that are deer resistant:
https://njaes.rutgers.edu/deer...

Happy gardening!

I am not exactly sure on whether or not this might be correct, but I have heard a couple things about deer not liking peppermint oil. Something along those lines! I am not sure how they would work on perennials, but I just wanted to throw it out there. Kind of pricy though...

Weedwhacker said:

First, NOTHING is actually "deer proof,"
they've never touched my bleeding hearts, flowering tobacco, astilbe, columbine, foxglove, baptisia, or marigolds. If you are set on growing plants that the deer particularly like, you need to protect them with an enclosure of some sort.

Actually... I'm not sure that is correct.
There are lots of plants that are deadly poisonous, and others that affect perception which they will avoid.

Other plants have particular times when the deer eat them... Columbine for instance... After flowering and setting seed, the plant's foliage dies back and tender new leaves emerge... which the deer immediately consume... this kills the plant.

Something like brugmansia and datura affects the eyes... You can be sure they will avoid.
Buckeye shrubs will cause drunkenness, another plant to be avoided...

Lets not forget the deadly poisonous plants like oleander and Aconitum...

Unfortunately, I can't really think of much winter colour that would be safe... you could try flowering kale... which isn't their favourite... but it is edible... and hungry deer would eventually find it...

Again... a little research...
There are books and pdf available that tell about toxic plants, those seem like a good starting point.

Deer will avoid fuzzy plants... until they get hungry... they will avoid strong tasting herbs like oregano and mint, until they get hungry...

The more deer in an area... the hungrier they get... and ballsy.

I once saw a lady walk out into her garden banging a big spoon against a kettle... Bambi let her walk very close before slowly ambling off!

I've seen them jump uphill over a fence they couldn't see over or through!

Not easy to garden when you have herds.

I'm inclined to agree with Sandy.If they can't eat it they sleep on it or trample it. Don't encourage them to move into your garden.

Stone: if you can find a list of plants that are poisonous to deer, I think we would all benefit from it. Of course, poisonous to humans or other particular mammals, doesn't necessarily mean poisonous to deer. How would you know?

Additionally, just because something is poisonous to a particular animal species, doesn't always mean it won't eat it. Take Locoweed and cattle, for instance. Locoweed is also poisonous to deer. Would they eat it? They have in the past....

"Toxic" is often used interchangeably with "poison".

Above examples should come with the qualifier of "starved".

You get hungry enough, you start eating so-called famine foods... but it isn't your first choice...

Remember the stories of cycad nuts and Alzheimer's?

Same with herds of deer... they run out of the stuff they prefer... and desperation is a thing.
I've seen where they browsed lantana and monarda... but they didn't eat much...

Weedwhacker said: .
First, NOTHING is actually "deer proof," but some things are less bothered by the deer

100% agree. Nothing will over-rule their hunger.

I have lots of nighttime deer damage in early spring, a fair amount in late spring, just when I'm setting out my annuals. and by summer, they rarely visit my garden. I'm assuming there are lots of other gardens to pick from during the summer for there feeding enjoyment.

I got upset when they 'racked' my new pear tree. Yes, I tried the fresh minced garlic, the 'cut hair,' the soap. Now that the pear tree has somewhat recovered, we've come to a "live-and-let-live" truce of sorts- I protect the annuals and some perennials in early spring, and they eat what they want whenever they want.

In the early spring they will eat anything, as others have said. They did prefer my tulips over my daffodils, but once the tulips were finally eradicated by their munching, they moved on to the daffodils, so both bulb beds are gone. I have noticed I can plant a 'garlic border' in the fall around my veggie garden, and they walk around it and eat other things (sometimes.)

So stone, have you changed your mind: NOTHING is actually "deer proof"?

Nothing wrong with that. I even admire politicians when they change their minds with sound reasoning.

Deer proof plants in my garden that have out lived deer, antelope rabbits for years …rhododendrons, azelias, large and mini's types , buddleja, camilla, Helleboreus.
Many ornamental grasses and iris.Small trees like male-ginkgo Biloba, clerodendrons etc. if you like big curly leafs, try gunnera, and rhubarb. Also bulbs like foxtail Lily's and snow drops and daffodils . All just an example for all season blooms.
For more info in your zone just google.

I don't have any experience with most of the plants that Bea mentioned, but deer have eaten my rhubarb in the past

Weedwacker really even humans can't eat rhubarb leaves. All mine have lasted for over 20 years they are extremely poisonous.
Although the dark green, frilly leaves look a lot like chard and other leafy greens one would eat, they are loaded with oxalic acid, a natural substance found in plants that can lead to the formation of kidney stones and even kidney failure.

Bea, I didn't say that I ate the rhubarb leaves -- the deer ate them. And I was surprised, for the reasons you mentioned. (But I didn't find any dead deer lying around.)

Weedwhacker said: Bea, I didn't say that I ate the rhubarb leaves -- the deer ate them. And I was surprised, for the reasons you mentioned. (But I didn't find any dead deer lying around.)

Funny the leaves are what the deer eat…

bumplbea said: Funny the leaves are what the deer eat…

The toxins build up over time .

It may have had something to do with the fact that I grow "Glaskin's Perpetual" rhubarb, which is supposed to be somewhat lower in oxalic acid. But, I think they tend to sample pretty much everything and then later avoid the ones that weren't that great.

Weedwhacker said: It may have had something to do with the fact that I grow "Glaskin's Perpetual" rhubarb, which is supposed to be somewhat lower in oxalic acid. But, I think they tend to sample pretty much everything and then later avoid the ones that weren't that great.

Yes so true distasteful samples will set them off any plant.
In my experience in my garden the plants that are more alkaline generally toxic and the animals smell the strong scent stay away from them. As well as the rhody's that grow in acid soil. My horses never touch them or the tree peony's. The tree peony's are another plant deer don't bother in my garden , but the squirrels eat the tuberous roots and the gophers don't.
The garden is generally a buffet for many critters above and below the ground.
I have been known to chase the deer off on the ATV while emptying out my air gun.
They noise and the dogs are the best deer and antelope deterrent.
In spring adding Plantskidd is a remarkable deer deterrent keeps them away from the garden blooms for months.

The rhubarb grown in my garden make yummy pies for the holidays.

We have very few deer problems because or our dogs.

Yes to the dogs being the best deterrent - when our last two died in 2019 it took about 5 minutes for the deer to move in; up until then we just had a 2-1/2-foot high "rabbit fence" around the veg garden and had no problems with the deer getting in because the dogs would bark and scare them away. Once the dogs were gone we constructed what I call "the fortress" around the garden...