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[luvzchiz]

We border a woods and have many deer families enjoying anything they can.   I few years ago, I purchased from the Q the faux foliage fencing.  They were attached to the wire cyclone fencing we had.  They looked so beautiful and held up well over the first winter.  

Last winter & this winter the deer decided that this was good food.  The leaveds are fabric attached to wood.  Well, guess what?   The fencing was demolished.  I give up! 

Score one for the deer.  

[Mombo1]

Yes...just this year I purchased 2 boxwood bushes for the planters on my front porch.  I got the Nearly Natural brand and they look great.  Year after year I have spent more money than I want to admit to on flowers or bushes that end up frying in the heat or get eaten by critters in no time. So I am done with wasting money and am very happy with the artificial plants.  The ones I bought have stakes on the bottom which is really nice to keep them secure in the pots.  QVC has a big selection of the Nearly Natural brand.  I highly recommend....

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@Witchy Woman wrote:

Well, the small holly bushes I planted that were supposed to be "deer resistant" were mostly nibbled to death over the winter.  

In addition, the same bushes planted a few years back in another location fell prey to disease and voles.  

These spaces have been planted and replanted with a variety of bushes that have all succumbed to deer, disease, insects and, mostly, bad clay soil.  

I've decided to give up and look for some fake bushes.  QVC has some boxwoods by English Gardens, but I'm still shopping around.  Nearly Natural and Silk Warehouse have the most promising bushes so far.

I know, I know....FAKE BUSHES?!!  But, faced with yet another replanting, I'm pretty discouraged.  We live in the woods, so not ideal growing conditions.

My husband is oblivious to most of this and just keeps remulching the areas  

Has anyone ever done this?

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[kitcat51]

I have faux boxwoods, junipers, cedars & others made by National Tree Company in front yard beds...they look real & it's solved the never ending deer problem, they've eaten everything I've planted completely to the ground. I live near a huge Metro Park & herds of deer are on my property everyday, I learned over time that no plants are deer resistant. I've had the faux for 3 years, spray them with repellant & so far the deer have left them alone. Hope this helps @Witchy Women...I recommend the brand I purchased, I bought them on QVC & the Home Depot website. Good Luck.

[blueroses47]

I've done it too, for the very reasons everyone has just stated, primarily the deer destruction.

I now have eight of these faux shrubs, from different places QVC and Improvements catalog.  Also some screens with faux leaves, for privacy reasons.  I keep a few of the shrub-type out during the winter, in decorative pots on the porch and deck and in front of a small shed that my husband (stupidly) built right on the gravel driveway, so there is no way to plant shrubs or anything in front of it.

I was just the same, at first, thinking "fake shrubs....how tacky", but I don't care anymore.  The things look exceptionally life-like (they should, they cost enough) and they look better than having nothing and the deer around me are doing their best to wipe me out.

I'm going to keep looking for more.  I still try to keep my real shrubs going, but I like these fakes.  They're in places where I desparately need something.

[pattypeep]

@Witchy Woman  I certainly would try it if I were in your predicament. The artificial plants nowadays look so real. I've even begun using them in my house.

[ScarletDove]

Yep, put several in an area where nothing will grow due to lack of sun and in the grazing path for the deer.  Had them out there going on 2 years and works like a charm. Far enough out of sight that no one knows they are not real!

[qshpr89]

@Witchy Woman I have two planters on my porch that I purchased boxwood topiaries from QVC to put in them.  I just "re-planted" them for the Spring/Summer.  I remove them for the Fall/Winter and put in the Bethlehem Lights Pine Trees (live in a cold climate).  I did that because if we get a wind storm the planters get blown over no matter what I put in the bottom for weight.  I got tired of replanting or buying more flowers.  I recently ordered some more and planted them along the front of the porch because I wanted a Boxwood edging but because of the area no real boxwoods would grow.  If you get right up close you can tell they are not real, but from a distance they look like nicely groomed bushes.  I wanted a nice clean look and DH was excited because he doesn't have to prune them!  My only experience has been with the ones from QVC all from the "As Is" section.

[Pagan]

I have assorted National Tree fake conifers around my house. Every now and again they go on sale on Amazon and I buy a couple more. 

I mostly put them in places where I’m never going to water real plants, like flanking the doors on the barn or as accents around the pool areas. I’m not dragging a hose out to these places every day in the summer. I might intend to do it but I know I won’t

I actually think they’re so good, that I’ve put a few on the back kitchen deck where you do get up close to them. I don’t think they’re totally convincing from a only a few feet away but the effect of them is so lush there and I appreciate not having to worry about them. I have real smaller seasonal plants mixed in with them and these fake shrubs are a reliable backdrop.