Our home landscapes truly add a significant amount to the value of our properties, and when it’s time to refresh those plantings, environmental benefits should be considered.
At this time of the year, the fall planting season provides an ideal opportunity to renew or add to the more permanent elements of the plantings around our homes. These days, more and more folks are considering the benefits of incorporating native shrubs and trees when possible.
For those of us who’ve decided to go native, a major obstacle can be the overabundance of deer in our suburban neighborhoods. There are a variety of different solutions for native plant protection, and these include repellents as well as physical barriers that include netting, fencing and tree guards. Tree guards can be particularly effective, since the primary damage to new trees is often “Buck Rub,” which can be prevented by this type of barrier.
Another approach for dealing with deer is to choose deer-resistant plants. These have a variety of characteristics that make them unpalatable, and therefore, they are very seldom bothered.
By their nature, many native plants are preferred by deer, but certain ones can usually be depended on to be resistant. Since this article is focusing on woody plants, the shrub category features some excellent choices for consideration.
For locations that need year-round evergreen foliage, the possibilities include American Holly, Florida Anise, Fetterbush/DogHobble, Mexican Mock Orange and Carolina Jessamine. Shrubs without foliage during winter, but featuring showy flowers and/or berries include Carolina Allspice, Bayberry, Bottlebrush Buckeye, Potentilla, Fragrant Sumanc, Elderberry, Spicebush and St. Johnswort.
Many of these shrubs may not be the easiest to find at a chain store, but local, independent nurseries and garden centers will be the best source to shop for them. In addition, the knowledgeable staff at these local stores will provide the answers for you to be successful.
