Welcome, friends, to "Gardening with Creekside." Today, we will explore a group of plants that many of you, our viewers, have requested. A few weeks ago, Jerry and I had a discussion about plants and various gardening topics. During that conversation, we asked you about the types of plants you are interested in for your gardens. You shared your preferences, including plants that are drought-tolerant, deer-resistant, and attractive to hummingbirds. Among these requests, one of the most popular was for plants that are resistant to rabbits. So, that's our focus today.
Before we delve into these rabbit-resistant plants, let me preface by saying that there's no such thing as a plant that is entirely rabbit-proof or deer-proof. Hungry animals will eat what they can find. However, the plants I'm about to share with you are generally known for their rabbit resistance, as per my research. We will mainly discuss perennials, with one exception being a shrub.
If you have personal experience with other rabbit-resistant plants not mentioned here, please share them in the comments below. This gardening community thrives on collective knowledge, and your input can help others. Now, let's get started with our list. I've prepared some notes because we have quite a few plants to cover, and I want to provide you with accurate information.
First up are Ailias, also known as Yarrows. Yarrows have been around for a long time, and some older varieties could be invasive. However, newer varieties are well-behaved, with upright stems and beautiful flowers. Two notable Ailias are Firefly Peach Sky, which has lovely peachy-orange flowers that turn yellow as they age. It requires full sun, grows to about 36 inches tall, and is hardy in zones 3 to 8. It is both rabbit and deer-resistant. Another option is Firefly Sunshine, a bright yellow variety that is a bit smaller, reaching 30 inches tall by 28 inches wide. It offers long-lasting color throughout the season and is also rabbit and deer-resistant.
Next, we have Alliums, which are known for their resistance to rabbits due to their onion family association. Serendipity Allium, in particular, is a beautiful choice with large purple blooms and bluish foliage. It thrives in full to part sun, is hardy in zones 4 to 8, and attracts pollinators like butterflies and bees due to its unique appearance and fragrance.
Moving on to the Crusted Surf Fern, a Japanese painted fern with fringed tips on its fronds. This fern adds a touch of whimsy to your shade garden. It prefers moist, shady areas, so it's excellent for gardens prone to rabbit activity. It thrives in part to full shade, is hardy in zones 3 to 8, and reaches 22 inches in height and 30 inches in width.
Stand By Me Pink Clethra is a delightful perennial with raspberry-red flowers and cream thread-like seed heads after blooming. It's perfect for shade gardens, as it attracts pollinators and stays compact at around 30 inches tall by 26 inches wide. It's also deer-resistant and thrives in zones 3 to 7.
Neopia, commonly known as catmint, is another rabbit-resistant plant due to its minty scent when crushed. Cat's Pajamas is a shorter variety with golden-yellow flowers and burgundy edges. It thrives in full sun, is hardy in zones 3 to 8, and stands at 14 inches tall by 20 inches wide. Another option is Solar Flare, with sunny yellow flowers and similar habits.
The Rainbow Rhythm Daylilies are known for their vibrant colors and rabbit resistance. Blazing Glory, with its golden-yellow flowers and burgundy eyes, and Blood Sweat and Tears, with raspberry-red blooms and a rosy pink eye, are excellent choices. These daylilies are hardy in zones 3 to 9 and attract pollinators like butterflies and hummingbirds.
Chartreuse on the Loose Artemisia is a must-have for its striking chartreuse foliage. This perennial offers continuous interest and thrives in full sun, hardy in zones 4 to 9. It has a compact habit, measuring 10 inches tall by 24 inches wide, and is deer-resistant.
Silver Lining Artemisia is another fascinating choice with broadly dissected silver leaves. It's a low-maintenance, well-behaved plant that adds interest throughout the seasons. It's hardy in zones 4 to 9, prefers full sun, and stays at 16 inches tall by 20 inches wide.
Lastly, we have the Pugster Pinker Butterfly Bush, known for its bright pink flowers with a bright orange eye. This compact shrub reaches 24 inches tall by 30 inches wide and is hardy in zones 5 to 9. It's deer-resistant and continuously produces beautiful blooms on new growth.
These are some of the rabbit-resistant plants you can consider for your garden. Remember that while they may deter rabbits, no plant is entirely foolproof. However, these selections have proven to be more resilient to rabbit damage. You can find all of these plants on gardeningwithcreekside.com, and we are currently offering pre-orders. We will ship them when the time is right for your growing zone.
Thank you for joining us today. We hope you found this information helpful and inspiring. Even if you deal with rabbit issues, you can still create a stunning garden. We appreciate your support, and we'll see you in the next video. Happy gardening!
