Dry Shade Non Invasive Deer Won't Eat...

Ok that is a tall order I know, but its the one I have. Most of my beds are in shade, in some cases now its deep shade, but it's also dry shade in several of the beds. I do not want anything invasive, so no periwinkle, no pachysandra (unless its Allegheny) and it needs to be something that the deer won't eat unless super desperate! Foliage or flowers are good.

Suggestions?

I'm finding out that the deer here will eat just about anything. Some things they haven't chomped yet are ligularia, wood spurge, astilbe, pulminaria and most of my ferns. I'll be watching this thread to see if there are any suggestions that haven't already been nibbled here.

Joanne

The right choice of lamium might be good - some are invasive. I have several but White Nancy and Hermann's Pride seem the most well behaved. I LOVE the Lamium Chequers but that one seems like it has potential to get busy. I just added Lamim Golden Anniversary which has gorgeous tri-color foliage but I don't know yet how vigorous it will be.

AND Bluestone has several on half price sale :)

They bloom all summer for me, too

What about Epimedium, its made for dry shade. I love it, makes a nice ground cover is about 12" tall and blooms in spring.
As for ferns what about Christmas fern-Polystichum acrostichoides it also grows in dry shade
Both of these are evergreen and I don't have a problem with deer bothering either of these.

I haven't been able to get ferns to grown in this particular section on my yard. They just seem to languish and suffer, I am thinking that I will try to build this area up some and add a lot more compost to the area before planting any again.

I looked at throughly yesterday and was thinking about it this morning. I am thinking that I need to add some height to the back of the bed it is sort of a large arch and it is very flat. I think some viburnums would work well as I have the maple leaf growing wild in the woods all around my house, I know it will bloom and survive in the same area so I want to look at other varieties of that. I won't dig the wild ones up though, would rather buy more lol...

I also know that the deer won't touch the Rotunda hollies at all and those would be a good evergreen cover that has the potential to protect something small and tender that they might want to eat. I have two of those growing in another bed in the shade under trees and they seem to be thriving. I have dug out all my books to research shrubs and plants for this area.

I will post back what I come across.

I do know that the systemic tablets that you can get (or could) to plant with your plants saved a large number of my hosta. While the deer may bite the plant they don't eat them, or anything else that has been planted with those! The thing is the place I was getting them from doesn't carry them anymore and I have only found one company that is still making them but they are selling bags of 500 for $200 so that is a little steep for my bank account! I use the liquid deer fence but that is only good till it rains hard!

I love the deer and loving watching them, I just wish they would stay in the five acres of woods we have and out of my one acre of flower gardens!

My first love is Lamium - Silver Beacon - lights up the shade - spreads slowly, but easy to keep it in place. It's in the center, surrounded by hosta with Chequers on the left, which seems to mound for me more than spread - Dax

Don't forget Toad Lily---I'm pretty sure the deer won't eat those....anyone? Maybe dedicuous holly, Christmas fern, Solomon's Seal (not sure about your zone, or the palatability to deer...). These do well in my very dry shade, though the fern would prefer more water than it gets. I have deer around, but that bed hasn't been tested with deer, yet. What about Cast Iron plant (again, check the zone..).

SOmeone ate my toad lillies last year - bunnies maybe? Don't think it was deer though

My bunnies love toad lilies!
But I plant them anyway, since they grow well and bloom beautifully when blooms are hard to come by.
My best shade plants that neither bunnies nor deer bother are thalictrums.
I especially like the low-growing ground-cover types, rather than the tall ones that often flop.
Epimediums aren't bothered by deer in my yard, but definitely eaten by bunnies here.
I don't think it's a problem for a mature planting, but they need to be protected until established.
There are some easy spreading varieties which don't require any special care (other than bunny protection the first year or two).

This is late but I have the same issues -dry shade and deer, so thought I'd chime in. These may not all be hardy for you! :(
Perennials: Hellebores are great and since they're evergreen, you have something going on year round. Arborvitae ferns (Seliganella pallescens & S. involvens); Carex, Acorus, Crested iris, Pussytoes (Antennaria sp), Rohdea (nippon lily), Bleeding heart.
Shrubs: Inkberry hollies have been ignored and tolerate a great deal of shade. Two fairly recent additions that are not being nibbled are Butcher's Broom (Ruscus aculeatus 'Athens') and Alexandrian Laurel (Danae racemosa). Also, Large-leaved, evergreen rhododendrons, Illiciums (evergreen anise shrubs; several species -actually they like moisture but will survive), Dwarf Sweetbox (Sarcococca hookerana humilis) and Fragrant Sarcococca (S. ruscifolia), Agarista popufolia (same as Illicium), Japanese Plum Yew prostrata (same as Illicium re: h20), Tea Olive (Osmanthus fragrans).

"My" deer do eat toad lilies and deciduous hollies but also leave Solomon's Seal alone (but someone eats the flowers and berries! Bunnies? I need a security camera :)).

Good luck!

To my knowledge we don't have bunnies, at least none that I have ever seen! Toad lilies have been eaten by deer before, as have my Hellebore's. They have recently dinned on Woodland poppies which they had never done before but it has been really dry this year and I suspect they are desperate. I watched this am as a mom pulled water hyacinths out of the pond and ate those, it is the first time ever that they have eaten them in all the years I have had a pond.

I am coming to the realization that if they are hungry enough they will eat anything!

Idy, that is interesting about Hellebores. I've seen lots of plants on deer resistant lists that they do eat here, but I've never heard of Hellebores being deer dinner. Hopefully my locals won't develop that appetite. I can see how the water hyacinths would seem tasty though; nice and fleshy.

I have had things like Butterfly Bush and gardenias (strangely only the 'new' variegated kind) be untouched for years, then the deer munch them.

Digitalis will grow well in dry shade but will need at bit of watering in the growing period. I don't think anything will touch it - at least anything that isn't on suicide watch!
I'm growing a few foxgloves from seed this year. Silver fox has got to be one of my favorites.

Rsoeimp, Silver Fox sounds intriguing. I've never tried Foxglove in dry shade here. Since our sun is so intense, I've had success with morning sun. I think further north though that it takes full sun. So it is a very versatile plant!

I meant to grow some from seed for fall planting. Wonder if it's too late?

I don't know what your growing conditions are like cedar18 but you could also try Ann Redetzky which is a dwarf variety of digitalis and only grows from 60-90cm tall. I'm sowing this one in an unheated greehouse to keep the worst of the rain off but it's not too late here so should think you will have a good chance too. Just needs a sowing temperature of between 15 -18 C. It's a strange one but very beautiful.
:-)) Rosie