As I was leaving The Ramble at Biltmore Forest on Saturday after speaking to the garden club, I saw  a deer at the front gate enjoying the tasty plants while in the open and in full view. It wasn’t at all concerned that I was there and didn’t even run away when I got out of my car.

Is your landscape a buffet for the deer with lots of tasty treats? If you have plants that the deer love, such as hostas, rhododendrons, azaleas, and roses, you’ve issued an invitation to attract these beautiful creatures to your landscape buffet.

Although I do my best not to include plants that deer prefer in areas with deer populations, they also will eat plants that aren’t as tasty when they’re hungry enough. Just as I’ll pass over some foods that I don’t really enjoy when there’s a really good selection of others, I will eat food that I don’t like, such as over-cooked vegetables, if that’s all there is.

A product that we have found helpful is “I Must Garden” deer repellent. It’s available locally at Jesse Israel & Sons Garden Center in Asheville and also online at http://www.imustgarden.com. The great thing about this repellent is that it lasts a long time and doesn’t have a bad odor like some others. I was told that it had cloves in it. Just follow the directions, and let me know how it works for you.

If you need help with your landscape and gardens, please contact us.

Terri Long Landscape Design, Inc.

PO Box 19004

Asheville, NC 28815

terri@terrilongdesign.com

828.299.2399