A groundhog resistant planting in my garden
While many people, young and old alike, are waiting for Punxsutawney Phil to make his annual appearance outside his burrow and predict the timing of the end of winter, I instead remember the plants in my garden that have perished at the teeth of the groundhog who resides in my neighborhood.
So in honor of Groundhog Day, I thought I’d share this unofficial list of groundhog resistant perennials:
Astilbe
Artemesia
Bleeding heart (Dicentra, spectabilis & exemia)
Bluestar (Amsonia)
Bronze Fennel ( Foeniculum Vulgare var. Rubrum)
Catmint (Nepata)
Chives (Allium)
Coreopsis
Coral bells (Heuchera & Hercherella)
Daffodils (Narcissus)
Daylilies (Hemerocallis)
Dianthus
Ferns
Geraniums
Hosta
Iris
Lamb’s Ear (Stachys Byzantina)
Lavender (Lavandula)
Lenten rose (Helleborus)
Lily-of-the-Valley (Convallaria)
Ornamental grasses
Peony (Paeonia)
Russian sage (Perovskia)
Salvia
Sun drops (Oenothera)
Sweet woodruff (Galium Odoratum)
Thymes (Thymus Vulgaris)
Wild ginger (Asarum)
Yarrow (Achillea)
Have a plant that’s not on this list that is groundhog resistant in your garden? Or, is one or more of these plants groundhog candy in your garden? Either way, I’d love to hear about your experiences.
the groundhogs that live here regularly mow down my astilbe and i have to fence it.
Fern,
I’m sorry to hear that groundhogs are eating your astilbe. Like deer, groundhogs can have appetites that are highly influenced by regional factors. I guess the groundhogs here in my part of CT don’t favor astilbe while your unfortunately do.
What plants are the ground hogs leaving alone in your garden?
Hmmm. Not much!
I’ve noticed they are also fond of lungwort and black-eyed susies. I don’t think they bothered ferns that grow naturally in my garden. And someone (not sure who) periodically chomps on my autumn joy sedum, which is supposed to be deer-resistant.
I guess it’s easier to think of what they DO eat rather than what they don’t!
Fern,
I hear you. Between the deer, rabbits and groundhogs in my garden I’m amazed I have anything that grows and flowers. Sometimes it is very hard to not get discouraged and just throw in the towel and pave over the entire backyard!
I live in SE PA – between the deer, racoon, ground hogs….they eat everything. My hostas are mowed before they even have a chance to leaf; shrubbery all eaten, bulbs chomped on…..one thing that seems to stand up are the forsythias and bee balm. ANY flowering shrub, succulents, lillies are eaten off. It’s amazing I see anything bloom. I would love to see my property in full bloom….one day…..one day
Deb, Some days I do wonder why we bother with gardening at all! This year something has been nipping at my hostas (I only grow a few because of the deer) and I feel like I’m behind somehow before the season even starts. Good luck with your blooms.
I am definitely printing out your list of what groundhogs don’t like. I have lived in this same house for over 40 years and until last summer I had never seen a groundhog in my yard. I had a family of them last year and they were like and invading army!! My beautiful perennial garden was decimated. Hopefully replacing them with plants from your list will help them stay away and save my sanity!
Marilyn, I’m finding that the groundhogs can be very destructive in my garden, almost as bad as the deer. Good luck with your garden and keeping the groundhogs at bay.