Deer Resistant Landscaping.

Hello, my name is Elizabeth Gross

Sherry Beam asked me to speak tonight about Deer Resistant Landscaping.

Thank you Sherry I'll try my best. I'm usually most comfortable in the garden,

but I'm happy to share my knowledge with you here tonight.

First of all, for those of you who don't know me, my husband Marc and I own

Beautiful Gardens by BUCKEYES.

We are both graduates of the Ohio State University. Marc has a degree in Agronomy and he is also a Certified Golf Course Superintendent. And I have one in Horticulture, and I'm also a Habitat Ambassador for the National Wildlife Federation. What that means is that I do, just like I'm doing tonight, I help teach people about landscaping and how it can both hurt and help nature. Marc and I decided to combine what we'd learned both at school and in our past careers and to start our own company in 2005. We've been offering groundscare and nature-friendly landscaping to Hudson residents, and throughout NE Ohio since then.

Tonight I want to share with you how we deal with deer in the landscape.

First, You need to know what plants are already on your property. Some plants are naturally deer attractors and some aren't.

In fact, some plants work as deterrants.

For example almost across the board in every yard, deer love to eat roses, yews, hostas, daylilies and tulips. I'm sure many of you already know that :)

and that deer won't eat daffodils, lavender, or boxwood. The reason for this is that the first list of plants are full of sugar and the second list are either poisonous, smelly or hairy. They are unpalatable. You want to increase the number of unpalatable plants you have on your property, and to arrange them to protect others that would be preferred food.

So knowing what you already have, will help you in planning what to do.

Second you need to watch where YOUR deer enter and exit your property, and also to watch what plants tend to attract them the most in your yard.

This is very important, I say YOUR deer because there is a difference in what the deer in your yard are used to doing, and what the deer in your friends' yards do. Deer live in groups that stay in the same area, and they are also creatures of habit. They often walk the same pathway, or very close to it. If food is abundant the deer you see in your area are different deer than your friend sees across town. They often go to the same set of shrubs, or close to those. They get comfortable. Once they realize that there isn't any danger they'll just keep coming back again and again. So once you start to notice their habits, you can adjust your yard accordingly.

Third you need to figure out how you want to use your yard. how do you want to enjoy it? do you cook out alot, do your children play in a certain area, do you have special flowers that you want to sit near and enjoy? Before deer started eating "Everything" how did you wish your yard was? This is important because your plan will affect your pathways, it will affect how your yard is broken up and utilized, and it will affect how you can protect plants and neutralize deer.

Fourth you need to have patience and you need to share. The deer aren't going to stay out of your yard. They're going to still walk through it to find food. If there's none in your yard, they'll walk through it on their way to somewhere else. The problem is there aren't many places left where wildlife can be on its own. We have and are eliminating so many wooded areas that wildlife have no where to go but across and into our yards. In addition, many of the yards in Hudson are part woods and part lawn and this makes an ideal environment for deer, called Edge Habitat. What that means is that the deer live and feel safe in the wooded areas and then out in your open lawn, where they can easily see danger, there is a buffet of great plants just sitting there. Unfortunately, these 'great plants' are also the landscape plants you have carefully chosen to be pretty in your yard. :) You most likely spend alot of time and money to keep them fertilized and watered and looking good.

and this extra attention is what makes them even more attractive. It's what makes them yummy. The addition of fertilizer and supplemental watering increases the amount of soft new growth and also increases the number of blooms, which are full of sugar making the plant most nutritious. It's almost like you're just planting candy :) It's too tempting.

So since we can't keep them out, Since we can't change how the yards abutt the woods, and it's not practical to put up 8' fencing along the front and back of everyone's property, or to keep spraying deer off or putting out fresh hair and soap after each rain, we need to work with what we have and to share. We need to group plants together properly, we need to guide the deer to where we want them to walk, and we need to provide some areas for them where it's ok to eat and live. You can do this with planning, planting the right items, and patience.

If you have read all the books and lists about deer proof plants like I have (and if you haven't, there is a list on the handout for you to use to start your planning) you know there are tons of lists of plants that are supposed to be deer proof. Well, that isn't exactly true. :)

I touched on earlier that there is a difference between YOUR deer and other deer.

For example, I know that deer in a clients' yard on the west side of town love to eat her white phlox, and then we have deer in a client's yard on the east side of town and they could care less, they walk right past it. :)

So when choosing what plants to put in your yard you do need to use a bit of trial and error, and again be patient. For example, Try setting out 1 of something before you buy a whole lot of it. If one makes it, then you can put it on YOUR deer proof list, and know that you have a list of plants to put into your deer plan.

keep in mind that this list will also change a bit in the summer vs. winter. In the winter when it's very hard for deer to find enough to eat they'll even eat poisonous plants. So nothing is going to be 100% protected, but with planning your yard can go from everything 1/2 eaten and ugly to, beautiful and easy to take care of. At BUCKEYES that's always our goal. It's your yard...we want you to enjoy it, to live in it, to make it where you want to be. So I'm glad to be here tonight helping you.

Finally here are some tips on layout and also some plants that we use with success.

Tip 1: Plant plants along the woods "edge" that are ok for deer to eat. This will give them extra food to eat at the edge of their woods, the plants will be far enough away from the house to not look unsightly when nibbled, plus it will help keep the deer there, as opposed to looking for lunch closer to your main plantings around your home. For instance: deer prefer acorns and berries to just about any other food...so plant a variety of different oak trees, crabapples and raspberries along your woods edge. You'd think that this would just bring every deer in the neighborhood more into your yard, :) but they're already there. And if they have food to eat at the edge, they're less likely to still be hungry and to want to move into your center, nicer plantings.

2: Encourage your neighbors to also plant "eatable" plants along the edges of their property to create an unbroken corridor from your house to theirs, through which wildlife including deer can eat and walk to get from one area to another without having to walk through your yard looking for lunch.

3: Plant in Drifts. this means plant multiples of the same plant in 3' wide or wider groupings. Deer don't like to wade through things where they can't see their feet. There could be danger there and that makes them wary. The benefits of drifts can be used for many applications. For example on the house side of the woods edge you can plant a drift to cordon off where the deer will enter your property. You could even ring your whole property with an undulating line of beds of poisonous, hairy or smelly plants to sort of make a ring of protection for your yard, or you could line certain areas in groupings to head deer off or to make them walk a certain direction. Or you could place drifts around plants you wish to protect such as around your front beds, or particular trees. The main reason is to encourage deer to stay out of your yard. There's nothing good to eat here, please stay at the edge or move on. :)

So for instance if you have a favorite rose bush that was your grandma's and you want it in your yard, plant it up against a wall, such as the side of your house so that one side is protected by the building and in front of the rose that will now gracefully climb a trellis up the side of your sunny brick wall, plant a 3'wide or wider drift of "protection plants". Choose plants for the drift that are poisonous, hairy or smelly or a combination of those. This will both encourage the deer to not try to reach the rose but will also look very pretty.

Here are some plants we recommend:

Instead of: Yews, use Boxwood or Butterfly Bushes

Instead of: Firs use Spruce.

Instead of: Maple Trees use Japanese Maple Trees or Birch Trees.

Instead of: Rhododendrons use Mountain Laurel

Instead of: Hostas use Ferns

Instead of: Daylilies use Black Eyed Susans,Lavender or Iris

Instead of: Tulips use Daffodils.

Ok, Now that you have planned out how you would like to use your yard, and you have a game plan as to where the deer are coming and going from, and you have a list of plants you know should work well both in your shade and sun areas, you can put it all together and make your yard deer resistant. :)

Again, remember to be patient. Reading, Planning and Trying will work and soon, you, to

will have a Beautiful Garden. Thank you for your time.

The community of Hudson nestles conveniently between Akron and Cleveland in North Eastern

Summit County. Many of its 22,000 residents have chosen to live here because of this convenience, in addition

to the Historical small town feel, top-rated public and private schools, protected nature areas and variety of housing.

All of these reasons are also why Hudson remains strong in home sales. One neighborhood in particular embodies

all of these attributes and more. This neighborhood is Canterbury on the Lakes where 186 homes

range in acreage from 1/2 to many, and homes sell from $500,000 to multiple millions. This neighborhood is also

home to over 7 acres of protected conservation easements, that now, because of the efforts of

Canterbury on the Lakes Homeowner's Association President, Kim Norton, and Elizabeth Gross, owner of

Beautiful Gardens by BUCKEYES, has the honored distinction of being the first residential neighborhood

in Hudson, Ohio to be registered nationally with The National Wildlife Federation's Certified Wildlife Habitat Program.

The National Wildlife Federation, or NWF, began their certification program in 1973, and has since certified over

100,000 sites throughout the United States. Each site must offer food, water, shelter and places to raise young for

wildlife. Canterbury on the Lakes, which was certified on June 18, 2008 is named as number 105,032 in the country.

"We're proud of the fact that Canterbury on the Lakes was created to include conservation areas to help protect

habitat in our Hudson community", stated Norton. "We've always encouraged homeowners to maintain the lakes

adjacent to their properties with earth-friendly products, and to enjoy viewing the diversity of wildlife that live in the

wooded areas as well. When BUCKEYES mentioned that they could help us with this national certification process

we were excited about the opportunity".

Marc and Elizabeth Gross first heard of the NWF Certification Program after their family joined

The National Wildlife Federation. "We've always loved animals and being outside" Gross says, "After our daughter

was born we joined NWF to support their efforts in connecting children with the benefits of nature". Gross has taken

their family membership one step further as well and completed training to become a NWF Habitat Ambassador.

What that means is that she helps teach others about the benefits of backyard habitats and nature. "Since then we

have personally Certified our own backyard, and now help our clients as well", said Gross.

Beautiful Gardens by BUCKEYES typically helps residential homeowners transition from traditional landscaping to

nature-friendly landscaping, helping homeowners then certify their property with NWF if they'd like to.

Gross stated, "I was helping a homeowner within Canterbury on the Lakes, and realized after doing research on

their property that almost every home in that neighborhood had a conservation area. I thought what a wonderful

attribute that was for this neighborhood and for the community as a whole. I also realized that after working in Hudson

for many years, I had never heard mention of this wonderful fact. In fact, the homeowner hadn't even known as their

realtor didn't emphasize it, feeling that it was a negative and not the positive that it is".

"The fact that Canterbury on the Lakes provides for greenspace is wonderful", said Gross, adding "Greenspace not

only provides habitat for wildlife it also reduces global warming, saves energy costs, conserves water, teaches

compassion for wildlife which increases compassion for others, reduces stress in individuals, and increases home

values. 'BUCKEYES' is currently working with the Board to also redesign the common areas throughout the

neighborhood to reduce lawn mowing areas. "At first we just wanted to reduce our maintenance costs", said Norton,

"but now that we know more of the benefits to "Going Green", we're excited that by reducing grass and maintenance,

we can also provide food for birds and butterflies, have flowering trees, shrubs and perennials through the year for

our residents to enjoy, eliminate the costs and hazards involved in applying chemicals, and increase our resident's

home values". Adding, "It's a wonderful, peaceful feeling to see owls or hummingbirds, and know that my

neighborhood is helping them".

Gross checked with Hudson Realtor, Jean Reno of Howard Hanna Smythe Cramer, on what increases a homes' value.

Reno, who is a Residential Relocation and Homes of Distinction Specialist in Hudson concurred with what Gross had

read in The Wall Street Journal, and Money Magazine. "Well kept landscaping increases in value over time, and

therefore increases a homes' value", stated Reno, "in addition, homeowners are more eco-minded these days. We're

seeing buyers wanting homes that offer reductions in utility costs, low maintenance landscaping and other

environmentally friendly items. Now that I know of Canterbury on the Lakes' Certified Conservation Status, and the

changes they are implementing for their common areas, I'll definitely pass that on to my clients. I see those as an asset

to their neighborhood and this community."

Norton and Gross are excited about the conservation collaboration and eco-minded changes within this neighborhood.

Excited, too, that they can share this information with the owners in Canterbury on the Lakes, residents in Hudson, and prospective buyers, so that all will know of one more positive reason to call the wonderful community of Hudson, home.

Beautiful Gardens by BUCKEYES, Owners Marc and Elizabeth Gross

330-922-8114

www.beautifulgardensbybuckeyes.com

Kim Norton, President of Canterbury on the Lakes (site of certification) 330-655-7709 (yrs 2007/2008)

Jean Reno, Realtor Howard Hanna Hudson 330-958-0513

National Wildlife Federation Habitat Program Manager, Kim Winter 703-438-6278

Articles: Money Magazine "7 Landscaping Tips"

John Garskof

June 22, 2007

The Wall Street Journal "Curb Appeal, How Landscaping Helps"

Amy Hoak

July 29, 2007

National Wildlife Magazine "When Gardeners Grow Wild"

Cynthia Berger

June/July 2003, Vol 41, no.4

Plus: Please See Attachment Titled NWF Press Release, and attached Photos.

Within this attachment is additional information on The National Wildlife Federation and their notice of

Canterbury on the Lakes Certification.