Known in our family as forest goats, deer can make the most tenacious gardener want to throw the towel in. These cute little creatures and their grown counterparts will eat nearly anything. My front "test" gardens have led me to several conclusions: yes, you can still garden with trespassing deer, groupings help make the noshing less noticeable, and there are very, very, very few plants they won't eat. What your deer won't eat, mine probably will, and tomorrow, yours may change their mind!
So what does "deer resistant" or "deer tolerant" mean? It means the deer may only taste it. It means the plant will (probably) survive the damage. Sometimes it means the plant is very unlikely to be damaged, but the point is the terms have a wide range of meanings. This is why I have hesitated to use these terms and only use them where I feel very confident I can relay to you what extent of resistance you are getting. Don't let this these cute little guys deter you! Planting native plants will still reward you with butterflies, bees and birds galore!
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