It’s getting cold in Northeast Ohio! People are stocking up for winter, bringing what remains of the summer crops and carefully repotting some of those treasured herbs and plants that graced the beautiful gardens of summer.
But people aren’t the only ones getting ready for winter – so are the bovines! The deer are out and about storing up too – storing up a layer of fat by chomping on whatever tastes good, even if it’s your prized perennials!
Both Old Man Winter and Bambi can be devastating to those of us who slave away to make our gardens a place of welcoming beauty, filled with eye candy and luscious fragrances for humans, hummingbirds, and butterflies as well as sources of food for honey bees.
I have been pleasantly surprised to find that three of my plants have proven to be resistant to both of the above-mentioned intruders and will be adding two others for a trial run next year! Here are my top five suggestions for you to try as well.
Eucalyptus
This has turned out to be a huge surprise! I thought the tender appearance of these leaves would equate to a quick death once it got even remotely close to frost. But was I wrong! It stands tall – in fact almost alone – like a guard over my barren plot which just a few weeks ago was abloom with color and fragrance. Deer have made their rounds (leaving their lovely ‘pellets’ for me to fertilize with!) but they have not touched this strongly scented and nasty tasting herb. Three cheers for eucalyptus! How long will it last? I don’t know. Living in a rural area, I do plan on bringing it into my greenhouse by the end of October, but it has thus far remained untouched and unwavering in its resolve to hang in there as long as possible. I may leave one near the house, as I do the next plant, to see if it winters over under some protection.
Lavender
This is a gem – in every way. It’s delicious fragrance and seemingly endless uses have made English Lavender a staple in most herb gardens. Even my guinea pigs enjoy its flavor and are still munching on its tender leaves when I put them in the greenhouse during warmer days of fall and winter! I have left this plant outside up near the house for many winters, and though it turns to bare spikes, it always returns in spring. I simply cut out the hardened stalks and it takes off. I keep them in pots since they will take over large areas if I don’t, but if I had space, I would have a whole field! No deer has ever touched this herb – though I know that severe winters will cause them to eat anything – even if it’s foul to their taste buds.
Catnip
Chubbs, my large black feline beauty, has delighted himself all summer with ‘his’ garden of catnip. And it again has proven to be a very hardy and dependable herb, resisting both winter wreckage and Bambi bombardment. It stands near my eucalyptus – the only two green vestiges left from summer. I have my catnip plants in the ground in several places, but they have been surrounded by underground plastic barriers to keep them from spreading. They are very prolific! I have never had so many honey bees as I did this past summer since I planted a row of catnip out front in their own spot. Next year, a bee hive will be part of the property to encourage the much needed increase of our necessary pollinating population.
Rosemary
This herb has been in my greenhouse for several years and stays green all winter. My greenhouse is not heated so it dips well below freezing, yet this hardy gal has always thrived. I am going to try to plant it outside near the house and see if it can survive in a sheltered spot. Its unique smell makes it unpalatable to deer and other wildlife. Due to its tender nature, it is recommended in northern climates to keep rosemary planted in large pots. You can then bury the pots wherever you want them to grow during your warmer months.
Bee Balm
This is such a useful and beautiful herb to have in your herb gardens. My neighbor has had a bush for a number of years, and it’s now about four feet tall and wide. It is attractive to both butterflies and bees, and even though my neighbor has had deer ravage his other garden plants, the bee balm still stands! I will plant some in containers as well as in the ground for background color in my flower beds next year to see how it fares.
Do you have suggestions for us? Please share any plants you have found to be either winter or deer resistant. We’d all love to know!