Customer Reviews

GARDENING IN DEER COUNTRY (Brick Tower Press Garden Guide)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

A major portion of Gardening in Deer Country is devoted to providing descriptions of deer resistant plants and their growing requirements. The novice gardener will find these descriptions extremely helpful. However, color pictures of the plants would be immensely helpful. The one thing I find annoying about this book is it defines the probability a plant may be eaten by deer as: Rarely, Seldom, Occasionally, Frequently or Absolutely NOT. I question the legitimacy of such detailed breakdowns, as deer are very similar to people regarding food. First, both people and deer have regional food preferences (e.g., Italian food verses Chinese). Deer in my neighborhood may love the same plant that deer in your neighborhood hate. Second, individual deer, like humans, have their own preferences. For example, I love garlic but my mother hates it. As such, it would be much more accurate and useful if the author categorized plants into one of three groups: Rarely, Occasionally and Frequently. This would also help eliminate discussions between confused gardeners and garden center staff trying to quantify the difference between rarely, seldom and, occasionally.

This book is the perfect companion to Deer Proofing Your Yard & Garden, by Rhonda Massingham Hart. The one area where Deer Proofing Your Yard & Garden is weak, plant descriptions, is the area where Gardening in Deer Country excels.

Gardening in Deer Country is a life savior. I was so frustrated with planning and planting my garden only to have it destroyed by the native deer. Now I have a way to live in peace and enjoy nature; I am guided to plants that are unappetizing to the deer yet pleasing to me. Thank goodness for the book of the season.

This is a very helpful book listing plants that deer prefer not to eat. Of course, there are no guarantees but the listings, plant descriptions and index should help just about everyone living in deer country.

Excellent resource for those of us who live in "deer country". No more half-eaten landscaping.

This was a gift for my sister & brother-in-law who were moving from an LA suburb to the wilds of Northeastern California. They love to garden & knew there were lots of deer in the new area. They had no idea what could be planted that would survive the poaching deer. This book has been a terrific reference book for what can be planted in a garden frequented by poaching deer.

Covers all regions of the country. Very informative and yet easy to find just what you are looking for.
Thin book and makes a nice gift for a new neighbor. Just tie a ribbon around it.

It is said; `All that glitters is not gold.' And while this is true, also keep in mind; `All that is green is edible.' Well, at least to something out there.

So when all of us urban gorillas, myself included, decide to forsake civilization in pursuit of the simple life, keep the former two adages in mind. Because to our four legged friends, all that is green is definitely edible to them. Fleeing the cities in throngs and invading the sub-urban country, we fail to keep in mind that we are the interlopers. Not the other way around. The animals definitely have the advantage.

However, our station, and an ecologically balanced existence, is not without hope. By reading "Gardening in Deer Country", you can level the playing field. The author provides an in-depth, tongue in cheek survival guide. He outlines this unfamiliar environment, provides a thorough description of its inhabitants, together with their strengths and weaknesses, as well as a comprehensive guide to actually enjoy ourselves while sleeping with the enemy.

Before you tell society to take its stiflingly crowded, single minded myopic existence and shove it, read this book. Follow it explicitly. Then go out and purchase as many bug zappers as possible and wait for the invasion.