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Deer are a lovely sight especially to those not used to them, the city dweller, the suburbanite and such. But once the newness wears off and they start nibbling at your lovely patch of groundcover Hosta you start to wonder where all those deer hunters have gone. They should be sitting in your yard protecting your Deer Chocolate Hosta.
That, however, is not going to happen. Woe be us! What you need is deer-proof ground covers. So, let’s get to it.
Cinnamon Fern (Polystichum Acrostichoides).
If you are ever lucky enough to see an inexperienced fawn nibbling on a Cinnamon fern you will likely see it almost grimace rather a bit like a kid eating broccoli. Hosta may be chocolate for deer but Ferns are like foul tasting medicine. Though this plant can grow 2-5 feet tall, much taller than your average ground hugger, it does the trick, keeping deer at bay and they look good doing it. For the shade garden it is unsurpassed at weed suppression.
Lily-of-the-Valley (Convallaria Majalis).
Every part of Lily-of-the-Valley is poisonous and the deer knows it. This beautiful rich green, sun and shade tolerant plant with the amazingly scented bell like flowers spreads like the chicken pox in kindergarten.
Snowdrop Anemone (Anemone Sylvestris).
This sweetly scented plant, 12-18 inches tall, likes dapple shade, well draining, humus rich soil. Astonishing as it is deer don’t like them, but you will. The cup shaped , 2 inch flowers shine in part shade and don’t stop looking lovely even when they go to seed.
Golden Ice Plant.
This succulent grows 2-4 inches high and has daisy like blossoms in early-mid summer. The gray-green foliage is unappetising for deer but perfect for rockeries and for bordering the sunny flower bed. Likes coarse, sandy , well drained soil.
Ivy Leaf Geranium (Pelargonium Peltatum).
Though only hardy in zones 9 and 10 this tender perennial is worth a mention for the lovely clustered blooms in vivid red and pink and the trailing stems reaching 2-3 feet long. Glorious in hanging baskets and cascading over rock walls. The perfect ground cover for sun drenched banks. Likes full sun to part shade, rich well drained soil and moderate water. Distasteful to deer, too.
Liriope ( Liriope Spicata).
This dark green grasslike clumping perennial with spiky purplish-pink flowers stands about 15 inches high. The stiff leaves do nothing for deer who avoid it if they can.
Tradescantia “Billberry Ice”.
Also called Widow’s Tears, this hardy perennial likes full sun to part shade and has 3 petaled, tri-colored flowers in varying shades of purple and white. Very pretty for gardener and butterfly but not so much deer.
There you have several ground covers to get you started, all just perfect for making your landscape appear to be deer-free. You could always plant the occasional chive around your flower beds to deter deer further as they hate the scent of onion and garlic. With these ground cover plants to control deer, however, you may not have to.
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Author Bio Box: Glory Lennon
 For amusing short stories visit http://www.helium.com/users/32782. For an intriguing novelette-in-progress visit: http://www.myspace.com/glorygarden.
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