Usually grown as a shrub or small tree, Vitex (chaste tree) reaches about twelve feet tall and wide. The very attractive leaves are divided into five to seven leaflets and are a grey green. The flower spikes appear in summer and are usually purple, although white is also available. The plant is deciduous and can…
Heteromeles arbutifolia, or toyon, is an evergreen native shrub with thick, leathery leaves. The flat heads of white flowers in spring attract bees and the bright red berries that follow are favored by birds. Toyon usually grows as a dense shrub to six to ten feet tall and wide, but can also be trained as…
There are many types of lavender, including Lavandula stoechas (Spanish lavender) with varieties including Otto Quasti, Kew Red and Avondale, Lavandula angustifolia (English lavender) and the many hybrids such as Provence, Munstead, Hidcote and Grosso. Dutch lavender is another, a type that is extremely vigorous with profuse lavender flowers.
Pungent herbs are generally unappetizing to the deer population, including Salvia (various types of sage), Nepeta (cat mint) and Origanum (oregano) species. For the shade, ferns are good bets, as are Helleborous, Choisya ternata, Hosta, Liriope, Sarcoccoca, Taxus and Trachelospermum (star jasmine). There are several species of Carex (sedge) that love the shade and do not appeal to deer, although it can safely be said…
Rosemary has flowers in the blue shades, although there are some varieties with pink or white flowers. Bees love it and deer are loathe to touch it at all. There is a huge range in size from very low groundcover types to plants that reach six feet. ‘Blue Boy’ is very diminutive, growing only to one by…
Carex divulsa (Berkeley sedge, formerly known as Carex tumulicola) is a bright, evergreen grass twelve to eighteen inches tall. It tolerates some traffic, drought, full sun and boggy conditions and is one of the best sedges for ground cover. It looks best with part shade and is hardy to ten degrees.
