As shadows lengthen in the late afternoon, deer leave the shelter of the woods in search of food. They inspect your trees, shrubs and flowers as if they were a buffet table. Nibbling pansies for an appetizer, they progress to azaleas for the main entree. Then it's on to the daylilies for dessert. All across America, this scene is repeated in countless locations where native areas are being replaced by managed grounds.
Nuisance deer are difficult to control in residential communities.
There are a number of commercially available repellents on the market, but they tend to wash off with rain and must be re-applied frequently to be effective. Shooting is often prohibited, and many citizens are opposed to this method of control. Fencing whole communities or individual properties is often not practical. Planting ornamental plants that deer do not like to eat is a solution to deer browsing. Please remember, though, that very few plants are totally deer-resistant.