Living in an area where you can view deer stepping gracefully through your garden may bring joy to your heart and a feeling of bonding with nature to your soul. But watching these majestic creatures treat your flowering bulbs like a personal buffet each day can be downright disheartening. You can plant a variety of flowering bulbs that are less appealing to your woodland visitors, making it clear that they are welcome to visit, but are not invited to dine.
Paperwhites, Daffodils and Jonquils
These varieties of yellow, orange-yellow and white flowering bulbs are in the narcissus family. They emit an unpleasant fragrance as a warning to small animals and deer to leave them alone, and contain a natural toxin that irritates the soft tissues in their mouths. Paperwhites grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 8 to 11, and should be planted in late summer through early fall for winter and early spring bloom. Daffodils and jonquils grow best in USDA hardiness zones 3 to 8, and should be planted in fall when nights have cooled, usually in October for spring bloom.
The grape hyacinth (muscari armeniacum) is a good choice of spring flower for gardeners who need to discourage deer from dining in their yard. The little blue, purple, white or yellow spring flowers resemble a cluster of grapes when in bloom. It is not a true hyacinth, but is from the lily family. Grape hyacinth is poisonous, making it unpleasant for deer to consume. It grows well in USDA hardiness zones 3 to 9. Grape hyacinth bulbs should be planted in September or October for early April to May bloom.
Siberian squill (scilla siberica) is a member of the lily family, and blooms in early spring, making it one of the first flowers to grace your garden. It provides a carpet of rapidly spreading bright blue flowers, and needs little maintenance. Siberian squill contains an alkaloid that causes physiological responses in animals, making it unlikely that deer will want to snack on it often. It grows best in USDA hardiness zones 2 to 8, and should be planted in fall for early spring bloom.
Ornamental onions (allium) come in oval, spherical or globular flower shapes, blooming in an impressive array of colors atop tall stems. Deer generally avoid these flowering bulbs because they don’t care for the onion smell or taste from the leaves. Ornamental onions should be planted in fall, and depending on the species, may flower from spring to late summer. Most allium grow well in USDA hardiness zones 2 to 9.
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