Peter wrote:

Any suggestions for the Shrubs ?? This is zone 7A metropolitan Columbia
which means temperatures go from -5 to 105, where four years of drought
can be followed by two years of flooding. Area is in direct sun.

South Carolina, Maryland, Tennessee, or Pennsylvania?

For South Carolina, here are some deer resistant plants:

Acaena spp - New Zealand Burrs grow in low mats, dying back to the roots
in temperatures below -10 degrees celcius.

Acanthus spp. - Bears Breeches are also listed in part 2 (shade plants),
and in hot sun their leaves may scald.

Achillea spp - Not all yarrows are deer-resistant. Choose ones with
grey-green leaves such as summer pastels, Anthea, Paprika, ptarmica or
Moonshine.

Aconitum spp - Monkshoods like a bit of shade and moist soil. They make
a good substitute for Delphiniums, growing to 4 to 5 feet tall in
colours in blue, white and pale yellow.

Allium spp - Ornamental onions are something deer don't like, but
generally the stronger the flavour the more turned off they will be.
Chives make very pretty flowers. They've been known to snack on heads of
the giant purple kinds.

Antennaria spp. - Pussytoes form grey mats in dry areas, and host white
or pink flowers on short stems in spring.

Arabis spp. - Rock Cress forms low mats and cascades over walls in sun
and well-drained soil. There are white and pink flowered varieties.

Angelica gigas - This purple-seeded Angelica is deer-tolerant, but I'm
not sure about the others. These look very nice growing with ornamental
grasses. They will form large, bold leaves for up to 2 years and then
send up a massive flower stalk of white flowers held on an umbel.

Arenaria montana - Sandwort is a robust spring blooming mat forming
perennial hosting white flowers in late-spring.

Armoracia rusticana - This is horseradish. A new variegated forms has
arrived that's very interesting.

Artemisia spp. - Any of the aromatic artemisias are deer-resistant. Try
'Valerie Finnis' or abrotana for taller varieties. For groundcover, try
'Silver Brocade' or 'Silver Mound'. The herbs Southernwood and Wormwood
are also excellent. If you live in a desert area in North America, you
will probably be familiar with Sagebrush. This is a type of Artemisia.

Aurinia saxatilis - Basket of Gold Alyssum is a standby in rock gardens.
They form sulfur-yellow blooms in spring and hang over walls and
rockeries.

Baptisia australis - False Indigo forms a beautiful bush of blue flowers
to 3 feet tall in summer.

Calamintha - Calamint is a mint-like plant but is better because it
doesn't get rust and also doesn't spread madly. They are available in a
nice variegated variety.

Centaurea montana - This perennial Bachelors Buttons grow to 2' with
oval dark green leaves and woolly stems. Flowers are blue with frilly
petals in late spring and early summer, with a delicious fragrance.

Cerastium - Snow-in-summer is another rockery perennial. They bloom in
late-spring and keep their nice grey leaves year-round.

Chamaemelum nobile - Creeping Chamomile forms a nice lawn-substitute
with white daisy flowers in spring and summer.

Conradia canescens - The Cumberland Rosemary has grey-green foliage with
a camphor scent. Has light pink flowers throughout summer and prefers
sandy acidic soil, much like its native habit under pines.

Delosperma cooperi - The Ice Plant is so low-growing that deer can't get
at them properly. They hug the ground in full sun and well-drained soil
and form bright yellow daisy flowers in summer.

Dianthus - These comprise rockery pinks, maiden pinks and carnations. In
the case of large-flowered taller growing carnations, they will eat the
flowers, but not harm the plant. They also love sweet-williams, which
are also Dianthus species.

Eryngium spp - Sea Holly and it's relatives comprise a group of plants
with sharp prickles and not much to offer deer culinarily. They are good
in bright sun and well-drained soil. Watering in summer will produce
more flowers.

Geranium macrorrhizum - The Bigroot Cranesbill is one geranium with a
very strong smell. They produces many flowers in pink or white in early
summer, and sparse flushes through summer into fall if deadheaded. It
would be worth trying other aromatic Geranium species such as G.
Cantrabrigiense 'Biocovo'.

Glaucium flavum - This is a lovely plant with a rosette of gray hairy
leaves and yellow poppy like flowers early summer. Full sun and well
drained soils.

Goniolimon tataricum - German Statice

Inula helenium - Elecampane bears large yellow daisies in early to mid
summer.

Lavandula - Lavender

Leucanthemum superbum - Shasta Daisies

Marrubium vulgare - Horehound has attractive grey leaves and white to
light-pink flowers in summer.

Melissa officinalis - Lemon Balm is a mint-relative and has the ability
to go wild. Watch this in areas with a fragile native habitat. You don't
want to go introducing something that could deter indigenous flora.

Mentha spp. Any mint has a flavour strong enough to deter deer. These
are not the most worthy garden subects other than for growing for herbs,
and please see the above entry for a word about invasiveness.

Myrrhis odorata - These pretty herbs have fine ferny leaves and white
flowers in umbels. Their flowers have a very nice scent.

Nepeta faassenii - Catmint is a nice hummock-forming plant to 2 feet
tall, bearing pale mauve to blue flowers in summer, depending on
variety.

Origanum - Oreganos are available in herbal and ornamental varieties.
All have a strong enough flavour to deter deer.

Perovskia spp. - Russian Sage - This tall growing perennial has very
lovely grey leaves with filagreed edges like a fern. The blue flowers
come in mid- to late-summer and are borne in short spikes at the ends of
the long branches. Grows to 6 feet tall in mild climates. In cold
climates it will die to the base each year and re-grow to about 4 feet.

Rosmarinus officinalis - Rosemary

Ruta graveolens - Rue has brilliant blue green foliage with a ferny fine
texture. Nicely shaped upright plants reach 2-3'. Has yellow flowers
late in summer. Makes a good edging plant and works nicely for contrast
in perennial herb gardens.

Sagina subulata - Irish Moss - This low-grower is so low the deer can't
get at it properly. It's not a real moss and prefers well-drained soil
and some sun.

Salvia officinalis - The Sage used for cooking comes in a few colours;
purple, golden, and tricoloured. These make nice massings with other
low-growing herbs - keep these trimmed for bushy as opposed to spindly
growth.

Santolina chamacyparissus - Santolina, or Cotton Lavender, makes a very
nice massing as well. One of the greyest of all garden plants, this one
sends up yellow ball-shaped flowers in summer. Trim in fall for a bushy
habit.

Sedums - Stonecrops are comprised to tall ones and short ones. Stick to
the short ones and grow them amongst rocks where deer won't be able to
get at them. One of deers favourite snacks are the tall ones, which are
succulent and full of tasty juices.

Stachys byzantina - Wooly Lambs ears - All the soft wool on this rapidly
spreading, sun-loving plant make it unpalatable for deer. The flowers
arise in soft spikes of pale pink in summer.

Thymus - Any thyme will do, whether it is creeping or bushy.

Vernonia fasciculata - Ironweed is a tall prairie or wetland edge plant
with exquisite purple flower clusters, forming spikes to 6 feet tall.
They bloom in late-summer.

courtesy of http://surfsc.com/perennialhouse/deer.htm

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