Deer-resistant Plants, NJ: Spring Perennials

I attended a lecture on “Tough Plants for Tough Sites”. It was given by Bruce Crawford, who is the Director of the Rutgers Gardens at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ. Bruce is an oustanding speakers and has a way of making even the most mundane subjects, absolutely fascinating. For me, the subject of plant selection is anything but mundane, but for many, it can be overwhelming. Following are excerpts from his class but with a twist—I’m including only plants that are deer “resistant.” And, as we know, here in New Jersey, one can only say, “resistant” as deer have been know to eat just about anything if they are hungry enough. Each Day, I will add a new plant to the blog.

 Aurinia saxitalis, Basket of Gold  
Sometimes known as Hardy Allysum, this plant has silver foliage and masses of small yellow flowers which bloom in May. It grows to about 10-20” high and needs full sun and well-drained soil. It does well in rock gardens and looks great flowing over a boulder wall.