The biggest garden 'pest' to a suburban and rural gardens is definitely deer.
Many homeowners can succeed or at least mitigate this challenge to their garden design by employing seasonally adjusted nonlethal measures such as deer-resistant plants, repellant substances, frighteners or barriers/fencing.
There are many different views about having these creatures in the garden, but one thing is for certain: there's really not much you can do to keep them out completely. Even plants that are deer resistant become appealing if the animal is hungry enough. If you have an invasion on your hands your best bet is a double fence. Deer can jump pretty high, but they don't like to jump across a double barrier. So a fence inside a fence is much more effective than one tall fence. The fence should be 6 ft. high minimum, preference is 7ft. The space between the fences should be too far apart for a deer to jump across. You can also install plant material that are” least likely to be browsed by deer.” Most states have horticultural extensions that offer recommendations. New Jersey, New York, Connecticut. Some links provided below.
Deer Candy
Taxes and Arborvitae are considered "deer" candy. They are perhaps one of the most likely plants that deer will browse on a suburban landscape. When designing beds consider the deer’s browsing methodology… put a plant that they don’t prefer (Pieris japonica) in front of one that they do (Taxus, Arborvitae). Deer will browse as high as they can comfortable reach.. so it make sense that in the photo below these large Arborvitae are devoured up to 7 feet.
A common site in suburbia. This is the plant you do not want to plant in an area browsed by deer. Unless of course you appreciate this "topiary."
