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Landscaping and deer: sharing the turf

"But is it deer resistant?"

This often-asked question about native plant species almost always results in an unwelcome response: "No, in fact, it's an important element of their diet."

While this is true of most dicots, generalizations in nature are often hazardous.

Most species flood the neighborhood with seed and play the odds that a sufficient number will germinate, survive the habitat, and escape notice long enough to reproduce. This works well in circumstances where herbivores, representing a balancing effect, are limited in numbers through predation (in the case of deer, wolves, lions, coyotes). When it fails, species die out and range withers.

Others have evolved an array of defense mechanisms, largely through phytochemicals that make them unpalatable (Dennstaedtia punctilobula, for example), distasteful (Asclepias syrica) or toxic (Podophyllum peltatum, Toxicodendron radicans). Research in this area is limited and anecdotal at best, but often leads to lists of species that are "deer resistant" - most of which can be taken with the proverbial grain of salt. Like many forms of wildlife, deer ignore invasives (Garlic mustard, Japanese knotweed), which is why those species are, in fact, invasive.

Even species "rarely" bothered by deer are fair game when browse is in short supply. Kalmia latifolia is considered toxic to large animals.

Secondarily, deer browse (like goats) rather than graze (like cattle or sheep). This trait effectively excludes many monocots, notably grasses, sedges and rushes, from their diet and offers the home landscaper some interesting opportunities, particularly in sunny habitats.

The level of deer pressure is significant. The occasional stray deer in a tightly developed town may be an annoyance and potentially managed with some of the common deterrent sprays available in the commercial marketplace. Larger herds roaming more open development will not be kept at bay for long; it takes only a few moments to mow a plant to the ground.

A brief review of fencing

The only 100 percent effective means of preventing deer damage is with fence. Exclusion fencing alternatives include:

If you responded, "awwwww," you're among most folks who think Bambi is cute and cuddly and charming. Before the 1942 Disney film, deer were just woodland herbivores and a source of meat; since then, they have an image of gentle creatures to be protected - sometimes even fed in the winter months. Bambi's charm fades when your expensive shrubs get mowed to the ground, and most corn and apple growers consider deer as vermin.

Polypropylene mesh is available at many home centers in 7-foot by 50 foot rolls and is relatively simple to install.

Polypropylene mesh - generally in black, usually 1 inch squares, seven feet and in short rolls, common in many home supply outlets. It is a denser weave than deer fence, but works well. It can be damaged by small animal (groundhogs, rabbits) chewing. It is a good short-term choice for small gardens, especially vegetable gardens.

Polypropylene deer fence - generally in black, usually 2x3 inch mesh, typically seven to eight feet and in rolls ranging from 50 to 300 feet. It is less visible - so less, in fact that it is recommended that rags be temporarly tied to it to let the deer know where it is - easily installed and affordable. It can be chewed by small animals and the holes enlarged by deer, and is no match for bears. Success with the product depends heavily on the herbivore pressure and whether bears detect something of interest within the compound. Usually must be mail ordered and shipped, but available from a number of sources on the Internet and in various grades. Life expectancy of 10 to 15 years. Tip: thread either plastic coated wire or a galvanized twisted wire through the top of the fence and secure snugly to posts; it prevents sagging.

Welded wire fencing - galvanized or green plastic-coated wire, 2x3 inch mesh, typically three, four and five feet high and in rolls of about 50 feet. About twice the price of polypropylene, but far more permanent. The downside is height; to achieve the necessary seven feet to deter deer, layers must be doubled up. A four-and-four foot combination, with 12 inches flattened and spread outward below a layer of mulch, will deter all significant herbivores. Connection is with ordinary aluminum hog clips. Both welded wire and polyproylene will stop a running deer; they act as giant nets and absorb the impact.

Galvanized game fencing - the professional grade material, usually with flexible link mesh, ranges from very open weave at the top to tight at the bottom and has about a 30-year lifespan. It is a third of the price of plastic coated welded wire and less expensive than polypropylene. However, it is shipped only in 96-inch by 330 foot rolls, which weigh more than 350 pounds.

Chain link - the most expensive, but the most durable no-nonsense fencing of all. Almost always galvanized, it is anything but invisible and in heights above six feet suitable for tennis courts or forbidding commercial boundaries. Available at many larger home centers.

Vinyl, bamboo, slatted wood fencing - ideal for creating a solid wall, but pricey in vinyl and requiring constant maintenance in woods. The advantage of a solid wall in excess of 6 feet is that what deer can't evaluate visually, they are not likely to jump over even in sheer panic, much less a casual browse.

Fences as landscaping devices

Suburban development tends to eschew fence, which runs counter to the theme of spacious openness. It is tolerated in often chain link, but sometimes vinyl formats, to guard swimming pools as required by law or to express the boundaries for the family dog. Most catalog images of fence show it bisecting open ground and with the exception of purely utility service suggestive of a prison camp. All that seems to be missing is the razor wire stretched in loops across the top.

Those disinclined to shoot Bambi and cook up a great venison stew can exclude deer with relatively simple fence, giving the landscape 100 percent protection from herbivore damage. A next step could be to use the fence as a trellis for a variety of native vines, creating a "green" privacy wall.

Generous gates (in this case, 10 feet wide) allow comfortable movement of equipment and materials. Hinges (indicated by arrows) are ordinary screw eyes and eyebolts

In cultures around the world, however, gardens are often fenced or walled to define a manageable boundary and a sense of privacy and seclusion. This reminds us that in the general concept of ornamental gardening, there are two distinct circumstances: foundation plantings to generate "curb appeal" and soften the lines of a dwelling, and the private space to which we retreat and relax.

Small herbivores

Groundhogs and rabbits can be maddening frustrations, but easily defeated with a line of plastic coated chicken wire along the bottom foot of fence - 12 inches up and 12 inches under the surface of the adacent soil. Chipmunks, squirrels and voles come with the territory; accept it and hope birds of prey take notice.

A convenient gate catch is made by slightly modifying one used for chain link installations. It might need longer bolts for metal fence posts, plus compression of the jaw to work effectively with the narrower gate material

Generally, American design encourages the open look in front, sometimes leading to community fence restrictions. Thus, it is here that the thoughtful landscaper turns to species that will not be harmed by herbivores: taller shrubs and understory trees, grasses, ferns.

Efficient polypropylene or welded wire fence is often sited through standing shrubs and small trees, which create effective camouflage. Unless seen in briefly angled sunlight, it is virtually invisible - so invisible that it's recommended to temporarily hang strips of cloth on the fence at 5-foot levels to let the deer know it's there.

Open stretches of fence can be shrouded in other ways. On sunny sites, choose tall native grasses that grow in clumps and plant in a staggered pattern inside and outside the fence line. The fence will disappear behind a natural hedge. In more shaded areas, consider the many native vines, particularly the flowering varieties like Clematis virginiana or Lonicera sempervirens, both of which will create an interior wall of green.

Even without screening materials, deer fencing is nearly invisible. Arrow points to a spot where sunlight momentarily lights up the 2x3 inch mesh passing in front of a tree.

Walls containing the refuge garden can be just that: solid borders of bamboo for Asian-styles, wood slats for rustic, vinyl for more formal gardens. However, deer fence with a living surface can achieve the same result but with substantially less cost and maintenance.

After a storm

Check fencelines after severe storms when tree limbs come down. All it takes is one hole to invite the neighborhood in for dinner.

Aluminum ties, used for chain link fence, are right at home when attaching fencing to posts. Similarly, "hog clips" do a fine job stitching seams of four or five foot fencing into a single wall of deer exclusion.

The ideal siting for a refuge garden is the living space around patios and garden ponds; the wall, no matter what its form, blocks the view of the outside world except for what Japanese designers called "borrowed scenery" - the neighboring trees and skyline.

Even the cottage picket fence can be slightly modified to become an effective deer barrier. Normally just three or four feet high, conventional picket fencing can be strung between much taller posts, used in turn for trellises, for decorative post lighting or just a sweeping design. But light deer fencing can be strung from post to post as a curtain to confound the deer.

By using taller posts, a traditional picket fence can carry a "curtain" of deer mesh that is nearly invisible but permanently protects the cottage garden. Posts could be used for solar-powered decorative lighting, enhancing functionality.

Various authorities indicate that 7 to 8 feet is about the limit most deer will attempt to jump, but vision limitations cause them to avoid uncertainty over six feet. In a sheer panic, a deer will run at, but not over, meshed deer fence, which is designed to absorb impact rather than be so rigid as to block it.

Access to the compound

Since most mesh fencing is attached to posts on 10 foot centers, logical openings for gates are 10 feet. The least expensive and simplest to build is a basic frame of 1x4 pressure treated wood, 7 feet high and 10 feet wide, with a few extra inches of lumber extending under the opening end. Hinges are simple screw-eyes and eye bolts on the post end, and locking devices can be double-spring clips and an eye bolt - or better yet, the same gate latches used in chain link fence with slightly longer galvanized bolts.

A 10-foot gate is relatively light weight, and the generous width is appreciated when moving large objects in and out of the garden. It goes without saying that an open gate is an invitation to herbivores, so form a new habit of making sure the barrier is secure.

When locating gates, consider logical entry and exit points for equipment of all sizes - even loaders/backhoes - and where supplies like mulches, soils and gravels may be dropped off by delivery vehicles. Storage areas, such as compost bins and piles, can be outside the fence but should be easily accessible through a gate. Gates should provide straight line access to major paths in larger gardens. Sheds that straddle the fence line with access from both sides are a plus.

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