If you are not a property owner, when you see deer it is probably met with some feelings of awe and wonderment. However, if you are a property owner and you see a deer, it might be more likely that the sight is followed with an annoyed grunt while wondering what these animals are about to do to your landscape. Unfortunately as more and more land is developed, deer are having a hard time finding places to graze that do not overlap with where we humans live. Deer are basically harmless creatures, but they can destroy flower beds and other garden areas while trying to satiate their insatiable appetites. While some people are happy to have these majestic guests on their property, even putting out hay and corn to encourage revisits, others find them not only annoying, but costly as well since they will have to replant or replace the areas that have been eaten. If you happen to fall into the latter category, do not despair – there are manageable and nonlethal solutions out there! Here are some tips and tricks from landscaping experts on how to protect your garden beds and deter the reappearance of deer. Stonecrops is a plant not many people have heard of, but it is an excellent way to create color within your landscape without enticing deer to come and feast without abandon. The plant itself is extremely vibrant, sprouting orange, red, yellow, or pink flowers. In addition to not being on the menu for deer, stonecrops is also frequently implemented in many stone gardens, since the flowers offer contrasting colors against the gray colors of the stones. So with stonecrops, you are receiving dual benefits by planting something that will not appeal to deer, causing them to carry on to another property, and will also enliven your overall landscape with an abundance of color. Another plant that is helpful at keeping not only deer, but other nuisance animals away as well is the prickly pear cactus. This plant essentially offers the same advantages of having a barbed-wire fence around your landscape. However, instead of having a visually off-putting barrier, you have a beautiful plant doing the same job, as it grows magnificent yellow flowers that will catch the eye of any passer-by. Most animals are not looking to get jabbed or stuck, so they take great measures to avoid the prickly pear cactus; and if they do get jabbed or stuck, you can be assured that they will not be returning any time soon. but also will bring an abundance of color to your landscape. Deer have an extreme dislike for the taste and texture of this particular plant, so you are guaranteed that it will never be eaten by this particular animal. This plant grows as tall spikes with light purple flowers growing at the top. The foliage has a silver-ish hue, which looks great with the purple flowers. The foliage are also velvety to the touch, which is why deer find this plant unappetizing. Chances are these plants will do the trick in deterring deer from using your landscape as a buffet. The other positive is that your landscape will be overflowing with vibrant color that will add to its overall financial and aesthetic value. For more suggestions, check with your local landscaping expert.
