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Advice sheets for soil: clay, dry                   Advice sheets for wind

Plants rabbits dislike  (scroll down for deer)

from Garden plants for Scotland by Kenneth Cox 

This list is compiled from reports from gardeners all over Scotland, but it cannot be totally relied upon - rabbits don't read lists, and plants some people find rabbit-proof are eaten with relish in other areas. Plants may be particularly vulnerable to damage when they are newly planted or with young growth emerging  (novelty value?), or when the rabbits have little alternative choice of food. (if ground is snow-covered or frozen) If protected for this critical period, they will be less likely to be attacked once the protection is removed. Rabbits prefer leaves and soft stems rather than flowers and woody stems. They seem to prefer feeding in exposed/open positions and often nibble plants at the edge of borders.

Shrubs

Aucuba japonica

Berberis thunbergii

Buddleia davidii, Buddleja globosa (butterly bush)            

Buxus (box)

Ceanothus

Cistus

Cornus alba (coloured stemmed dogwoods)

Cotoneaster dammeri

Deutzia

Eleagnus

Euonymus

Hebe

Hedera (Ivy)

Hypericum

Hydrangea

Kalmia latifolia

Lonicera (climbing)

Mahonia aquifolium

Philadelphus

Phormium

Potentilla fructicosa

Rhododendron (larger leaved)

Ribes sanguineum (flr currant)

Rosa rugosa

Rosemary

Sambucus (Elder)

Skimmia

Symphoricarpus albus (snowberry)

Syringa vulgaris (lilac)

Viburnum

Vinca (periwinkle) 


Deer-resistant plants

Scotland has far too many deer (one estimate places the numbers around 750,000) and for some gardeners they are a constant menace. To keep roe deer out required an expensive deer fence not less than 1.5m and up to 2m high. Deer tend to cause most damage in cold winters with snow on the ground. Antler rubbing can also cause problems. The list below is far from infallible and hungry deer will eat almost anything.

Deer Resistent Shrubs and trees

Amelanchier

Bamboos

Betula (when mature)  birch

Buddleja davidii

Buxus (box)

Choisya ternata

Clematis

Chaenomeles    Japanese Quince

Cornus alba & C. sanguinea (dogwood)

Daphne

Eucalyptus

Forsythia

Hippophae rhamnoides    sea buckthorn

Hydrangea

Kerria japonica

Laurus nobilis (bay)

Lonicera species (honeysuckles)

Magnolia

Mahonia

Philadelphus 

Phormium tenax 

Potentilla fruticosa

Rhododendron larger hybrids

Rhus   (sumach)

Ribes (flowering currants)

Rosa rugosa, R. spinosissima

Spiraea japonica

Viburnum (deciduous types)

Vinca major , V. minor

Weigela

Yucca

Perennials and bulbs

Acanthus,   Aconitum

Agapanthus,  Alcea rosea (hollyhock)

Alchemilla mollis, 

Anemone blanda, Anemone (Japanese)

Anthemis, Aquilegia

Astilbe

Bergenia

Convallaria majalis (lily of the valley)

Cortaderia (pampas)

Crocosmia,  Cyclamen

Delphinium

Digitalis (foxglove)

Euphorbia (spurge)

Geranium (some), Geum

Grasses (most)

Helleborus

Helianthemum,  Hemerocallis (day lily)

Herbs (most: rosemary, lavender, etc.)

Iris

Kniphofia (red hot poker)

Lupinus (lupin),    Lychnis chalcedonica

Monarda

Narcissus (daffodil), Nepeta

Ophiopogon planiscapus

Osteospermum (species and hybrids)

Paeonia

Phormium tenax

Polygonatum

Potentilla (common species and hybrids)

Pulmonaria

Stachys,     Symphytum


 

Deer Resistent Perennials

Agapanthus

Aquilegia

Cistus   (rock rose)

Cortaderia selloana (pampas grass)

Delphinium

Digitalis (foxglove)

Echinops species (globe thistles)

Euphorbia species (spurges)

Ferns

Grasses (most)

Helleborus (hellebores)

Kniphofia (red hot pokers)

Leucanthemum × superbum

Lupinus (lupins)

Monarda didyma (bergamot)

Narcissus (daffodils)

Nepeta × faassenii (catmint)

Nerine species

Romneya coulteri (Californian poppy

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