Deer tastes vary because the evergreen selections will expand from north to south. So that in colder zones, the selection is narrower and deer can't be finicky eaters. Blue Princess is relatively safe in Zone 7 and they never eat my Japanese holly, Inkberry, or Nellie Stevens! Cephalotaxus (plum yew) in my zone is supposed to be avoided by deer and is offered as a substitute for the true Yew (which they love), but they have at least trimmed the Plum Yew--maybe enough to realize that they don't like it--this winter it was untouched. Rhododendrons don't get touched by me, but are eaten in colder zones. I have a hedge of clumping, Fargesia bamboo (non-aggressive) that they never eat but don't think they grow in zone 5. What about boxwoods?--They hate boxwood, and Cherry Laurel, so too with Barberry--though I hate that one too! It really is trial and error though and learning about local deer tastes. Should not stop you from having a beautiful yard though. I know because I literally live in the deer crossing (an active one at that). Good luck!

Sue it sounds like deer. In the spring they ate my leaves as they were emerging. But, last week, just the buds on one of my dl's, my strawberry plants and leaves off my cherry trees. Didn't touch my hostas right next to the DL or any of my roses. I was lucky they only ate the buds off one of my noids and the buds from one scape on the dl next to it. There were hoof prints in the mud where I had watered the night before so I'm positive it was deer. I mix 2 eggs with a gallon of water and mist my dl's once every other week. Seems to be working.... Knock on wood. Andrea

I have been trying to use Geranium maculatum as a groundcover by the driveway ouside my deer fence. They ate all my newly planted ones.

Hi Dorothy, The deer are in my yard in record numbers this fall and winter and the only veggies/herbs I've ever grown that they never have eaten in our 9.5 years here are lemon balm, basil, garlic and onions. I have dusty miller in planters by the barn and they've never nibbled at them either. They also don't seem fond of ornamental cabbage although they devour the regular cabbage if they get a chance. Although they have their own favorites (in my garden it is okra and pepper plants), they'll eventually eat even the coarse pumpkin leaves if they get hungry enough. I've even had them eat the leaves of castor bean plants and both datura and brugmansia plants. It is somewhat ironic they are eating your deer tongue lettuce, isn't it? The deer here have the attitude that I shouldn't plant anything I don't want them to eat. The taller (7' tall) garden fence mostly kept them out after we errected it this year, but sometimes they go into the garden if I leave the gate open. (Ooops.) They even raid the two bird feeders occasionally and will nibble on Burford holly leaves when they are feeling desperate in late winter. About all I can say about the record numbers of deer this year is that we also seem to have huge numbers of coyotes pursuing them. (And, consequently, the rabbit population has plunged these last few months too.) I also find it ironic that friends and relatives of ours who hunt (especially in the drought-plagued Hill Country of Texas) are not having a good hunting season---I keep telling them to come sit in my driveway (tongue-in-cheek) from dusk to dawn and they'll be able to get a deer every night of the week. Is your big veggie garden fenced? Dawn