Deer and Rabbits. Onbviously I can't get a gun and DH hates cats so what can I do???

[Pennies]

They've just trashed the garden, despite it being fenced all the way round (up to 5 feet). It's little muntjac deer. The sods have gone and ringed a beautiful palm which is now going to die. And that's just the tip of the iceberg - everything seems to have been nibbled.

What can I plant that they're not going to destroy? It seems the only thing neither will touch are daffodils.

I'd like to see the cat that will take on a deer

Sorry - no particular help - you could try contacting the forestry commission or the National trust - they will probably have some idea what deer don't like. I think you're a bit stuffed with the rabbits though.

I know a really good nursery down in suffolk that advises whether things are deer (and I think rabbit) resistant on the write up - Wootens of Wenhaston - and they do a very good delivery service and send really good plants - have used as gifts too.

Try having a look on their website (sorry, you'll have to google, my link not working at the moment)

you need to do rabbit proof fencing to british standards

it involves digging down and having the fence of certain dimension i forget what and curved towrds te exterior

i have a list of plants rabbits dont like somewhere

get a dog? Rabbits and deer have stayed away from my garden since we got a dog.

You may not want a gun yourself, but there are plenty of people around who would be happy to shoot them on your behalf, if you don't mind that.

They may be cute but both deer and rabbits are regarded as pests -- and make for good eating.

I'd go with sophy - the local police should be able to tell you who they've issued a stalker's licence to in your area. If they can't help, the local hunt would probably be able to put you in contact. Ask around and you'll probably find at least one person happy to come and help you with the deer.

Good luck.

I seem to remember hearing on Gardener's Question Time that deer hate the smell of human hair.
Save your brush tangles or make friends with a hairdresser, stuff into old tights and hang round the boundaries or near precious plants

ooh pennies we have this exact problem.
millions and millions of little cute bunnies eating EVERYTHING agghhhhhhh

and the deer too. buggers will eat loads. lovely to look at... in the fields. why oh why cant they just stay there??

we have a rabbit fence around the perimeter.. but i think weve been too ambitious on the size of area protected... coz we havnt been rabbit free even once, and weve been trying to be for about 2 years now. grrrr

we are actually turfing over a fair whack of flower bed area since they have been utterly destroyed over the last few years. it was like kew gardens when we moved in ho hum!

dogs tend to keep wildlife back from the house a bit... but dp wont hear of having one. tis a bugger but there you are.

mrsB - i love gardeners question time

Try Electranets (www.electranets.com) - rabbit fencing plus a charger works a treat, isn't that expensive, and doesn't look that bad. Its super easy to pick up and move around so you can protect the vulnerable things. We use it round carrots which they otherwise trash.

In the past (not in the UK ) we have used electric pig netting to keep wild boar out of our garden very successfully. Electric deer netting I'm sure is possible but would be rather more full on.

but id need a vast amount to just protect the whole garden.
and theres bugger all point planting anything much till we do have the prob under control.
right now, the neighbours need to replace a bit of the fence they knocked down in building works.
but theres always some gap in the defences, and so many established warrens within the fenced area, that even when theyre gasse and ferretted, theyre back eating everything in sight within 24 hours. bloody things breed like rabbits y'know!

we get both too. I have daffs in Spring (no tulips or crocus). They ignore Hellebores. And in the Summer I have lots of geraniums. Established lavendar does OK too, buy the woody looking hardened stuff from the garden centre, not the fresh lovely green new shoots one!