GARDENING WITH DEER

GROUND COVERS DEER USUALLY DON'T EAT

...........California natives are in bold type

Ajuga reptans

evergreen,likes regular water, but can be amazingly drought tolerant. grows in sun or shade. There are many different varieties of varying vigor, leaf size, and foliage color. Spike flower in spring is usualy a very nice blue.

Artemesias

evergreen and perennial varieties. Usually quite drought tolerant and grow best in full sun. Foliage is usually a shade of grey or silver, although there are green ones, such as the herb Tarragon. Artemesia pycnocephala ("Sandhill Sage") and Artemesia californica are low growing natives.

Cerastium tomentosum

("Snow in Summer") evergreen, can handle a lot or little water, full sun. Foliage is ground hugging and silver, covered with white flowers in early summer, vigorous and possibly invasive in some sites.

Ceratostigma plumbagoides

Perennial, can take a lot or little water, full sun to partial shade. Foliage has a nice reddish cast when new, gets very red in fall. Flowers are absolutely stunning intense blue. Vigorous and can be invasive.

Erigeron karvinskianus

Evergreen, can take a lot or little water, full sun best. Flowers almost all year round with little white daisy type flowers. There is a pink blush on the back of the petals, more pronounced in one variety. Spreads easily by seed, but not really invasive

Hypericum calycinum

Evergreen to semi deciduous, very drought tolerant when established, full sun to partial shade. Golden flowers on dull green foliage. Can be very invasive.

Nepetas

Evergreen, best with regular water, but can get by on very little. Grow in full sun to partial shade. Quite a few different varieties with various heights, foliage and flower color, but most are some shade of lavander blue or white.

Oreganos

Evergreen, do well with regular water but are drought tolerant. Full sun for some, partial shade will work for some of the yelow green forms. The Oreganos that work well as ground covers are the Origanum lavigatum and Origanum vulgare types - tough, making evergreen, low, spreading mats of foliage that the flower stalks arise from.

Ornamental Grasses

Many different kinds, some evergreen, some perennial of varying heights and shade and drought tolerance

Osteosperumum

("African Daisy") Usually evergreen, drought tolerant and best in full sun. Somewhat gangly, but cheerful. Flowers are usually some combination of purples and white.

Rosemary

Evergreen, drought tolerant, usually will not tolerate regular watering, full sun. Tough, nice deep green foliage, nice blue flowers in early spring. For gound cover make sure you select a low growing variety

Salvias

Evergreen, drought tolerant, full sun to shade depending on variety. Salvia sonomensis is the native sage found growing under oaks or on north facing slopes along with Festuca californica. There are several other native Salvias or hybrids of them, that will do well in sunny areas.

Sollya heterophylla

Evergreen, moderate water with good drainage, partial shade. A sprawling plant with small glossy leaves and nice blue flowers. When happy it is quite lovely, but seems to struggle from too much winter cold and is often particularly susceptible to aphids

Stachys

("Lambs Ears")Evergreen, regular to little water, full sun. Often used in front of flower and shrub beds, very silver, felty foliage. Spreads willingly, sometimes a bit too willing. A couple choice varieties either have nicer flowers or flower hardly at all, both an improvement on the standard "lamb's ears".

Teucriums

Evergreen, all seem to be drought tolerant, some are more tolerant than others of bad drainage or regular water. Full sun to partial shade. Teucrium Chamaedrys 'Compactum' or 'Prostratum', which is the "flattened" version of the classic Germander is great for ful sun to some shade and little to a lot of water. It is dark green and has nice soft magenta flowers. Teucrium cussonii is beautiful with dusty grey foliage and a soft rosy lavender bloom over a long season, but must have excellent drainage and seems to be very drought tolerant.

Thymes

Evergreen, regular to little water, full sun. You can make a tapestry of these sweet, tough little plants. Some seem to rarely bloom, but the ones that do can make a dazzling carpet of mauve, hot pink or white in spring to early summer.