Animal Resistant Plants

Beardtongue

Two-lipped pale pink tubular flowers Loose flower spikes form on leafy red stems Glossy bronze lance-shaped leaves Foliage holds colour even through extreme summer heat and humidity Bloom Time: July to August Flower Height: 95 cm Foliage Height: 80 cm

Black Fountain Grass

Forms a mounding clump of glossy wide dark green blades Soft bottlebrush-like blackish-purple flower spikes rise just slightly above the foliage Slender flower stalks can be upright or arching Foliage turns a rich golden-yellow in the fall Bloom Time: Early to late fall Flower Height: 70 cm Foliage Height: 60 cm Grass Type: Warm Season

Passion Flower

Intricate flowers are white with bluish-purple thread-like petals (corona) Dark green glossy 5-7-lobed leaves Orange fruit is edible but not flavorful Twining tendrils Semi-evergreen Bloom Time: July to September Flower Size: 8 cm

Oriental Poppy

AKA Papaver orientale "Prinzessin Victoria Louise' Bowl-shaped paper-like petaled flowers Soft pink flowers with near-black central markings and stamens Thistle-like hairy mid-green foliage Freely self-seeds from decorative acorn-like seed pods Dried seed pods are often used in floral arrangements Bloom Time: May to late June Flower Height: 80 cm Foliage Height: 50 cm Flower Size: 15 cm

Cinnamon Fern

AKA Osmundastrum cinnamomeum Erect mid-green lanceolate fronds Narrow cinnamon-coloured fertile fronds appear in the spring Upright clumping form with exposed wiry black roots Deciduous

Cardinal Flower

Spikes of scarlet-red flowers on unbranched stems Tubular flowers are two-lipped Finely toothed narrow dark green leaves Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds Bloom Time: July to September Flower Height: 125 cm Foliage Height: 70 cm

Spicebush

Yellowish-white flowers appear before the leaves Female plants display crimson berries contrasting with the gold fall colour Medium-green oval leaves Foliage is fragrant when crushed Upright, rounded plant Bloom Time: Early spring

English Lavender

Uniform, compact habit Dense mounding plant Intense purple-blue blooms on short spikes Silvery-green foliage Bloom Time: Late spring to late summer

English Lavender

Spikes of purple flowers Scented gray-green foliage Compact shrub-like habit Can be shaped for low border hedges Bloom Time: June to August Flower Height: 60 cm Flower Size: 4-5 cm

Beautybush

Profuse pink flowers with white throats Flowers hang from arching branches Bright green leaves turn reddish in the fall Suckers sporadically, producing an arching shrub Bloom Time: Late spring

Blue Flag Iris

Narrow-petaled lavender-blue flowers with creamy-yellow throats Falls have deep purple veining with lighter blue standards Bright green sword-like foliage Vigorous water-loving iris Bloom Time: May to June Flower Size: 6-8 cm

Diana Rose of Sharon

Single white flowers Seed capsules persist, adding winter interest Variably palmate leaves emerge late in the spring Yellowish foliage in the fall Upright, vase-shaped habit Bloom Time: July to September

Swamp Rose Mallow

Other common names: Wild Cotton, Mallow Rose, Crimson-eyed Rose Mallow Flowers can be white, pink or red with occasional bicolours Heart-shaped three- to five-lobed bright green leaves with hairy undersides up to 20 cm in length Sturdy woody perennial Bloom Time: July to August Flower Size: 20 cm

Witchhazel

AKA Hamamelis x intermedia 'Copper Beauty' Spidery fragrant bright yellow flowers Round medium green leaves with hairy undersides Leaves turn yellow, orange and red in the fall Upright, vase-shaped, becoming rounded with age Bloom Time: Late winter to early spring

Mesa™ Yellow Blanket Flower

Compact, mounding habit Pure yellow flowers with yellow centres Medium green narrow leaves Non-fading colour all season long Attracts bees and butterflies Bloom Time: Late spring to September

Purple Joe Pye Weed

Erect clump-forming perennial Coarsely serrated narrow dark green leaves Tiny vanilla-scented pinkish-purple flowers in a cluster Each flower cluster has 5-7 florets Bloom Time: July to September

Brilliance Autumn Fern

Fiddleheads emerge in colours ranging from copper to red to bronze New fronds open copper to red-orange Glossy deep green fronds throughout the summer In dry spells and in autumn, fronds have a reddish tinge Upright-clumping habit Spreads slowly by underground rhizomes Semi-evergreen

Autumn Fern

Fiddleheads emerge in colours ranging from pink to red to bronze New fronds open copper to red-orange Glossy deep green fronds throughout the summer In dry spells and in autumn, fronds may have a reddish tinge Upright-clumping habit Spreads slowly by underground rhizomes Semi-evergreen

Hay Scented Fern

Delicate green fronds, 30-45 cm long Smells like freshly mown grass when crushed Turns a yellow-orange in the fall Spreads vigorously by rhizomes and may become aggressive Deciduous

Purple Prairie Clover

Purple cone-like flowers. Attractive seed heads after bloom.

Scarlet Fire® Dogwood

AKA Benthamidia japonica 'Rutpink' Darkest and most consistently pink-bracted to date Medium to large bracts are pointed and generally non-overlapping Drooping glossy green leaves Fall colour is scarlet to red, some purple Upright clump of tiered, horizontal branches Bloom Time: Late spring

Sweet Fern

Despite its name, it is not a fern, but actually a deciduous shrub Insignificant greenish flowers, both male and female on the same plant Brown burrs contain edible nutlets Medium-green leaves, resembling fern fronds, are brown in the fall Mounding shrub, spreading by rhizomes Bloom Time: Early summer

Eastern Redbud

Sweetpea-like red-pink flowers bloom profusely on bare branches and even on mature trunks Fruit pods are brown and flat, about 5 cm long Heart-shaped green leaves turn an attractive yellow in the fall Flat-topped vase-shaped habit when mature Bloom Time: April

Morning Star Sedge

Forms a slightly arching tight upright clump Semi-evergreen leaf blades are 15 mm wide Flower spikes are followed by unique light green star or mace-shaped seed pods Seed pods are 2.5 cm in diameter and turn a chocolate-brown, persisting into winter Bloom Time: May Grass Type: Cool Season

Bristle-leaf Sedge

Forms a small rounded clump of soft green thread-like foliage Insignificant white-green flowers Bloom Time: Spring Grass Type: Cool Season

Peach-leaved Bellflower

Large, open, outward-facing, white flowers Long, narrow, dark green, basal leaves Dwarf selection Semi-evergreen foliage Excellent cut flower Bloom Time: Early to late summer Flower Size: 6 cm

Peach-leaved Bellflower

Large, open, outward-facing, violet-blue flowers Long, narrow, dark green, basal leaves Dwarf selection Semi-evergreen foliage Bloom Time: Early to late summer Flower Size: 6 cm

Ghost Fern

Fronds open a soft grayish-green They have a silvery overlay of silver hues and dark maroon midribs Upright habit Spreads by shallow rhizomes

Fall Astilbe, Chinese Astilbe

Tall selection of astilbe Upright, narrow, lilac-mauve blooms appear over lacy dark green foliage Chinese astilbe are generally more sun-tolerant and require less water Bloom Time: Late summer into early fall Flower Height: 120 cm Foliage Height: 60 cm

Color Flash® Astilbe

Feathery blush-pink plumes Brilliant electric-green foliage emerges in early spring Foliage turns burgundy through the summer Excellent fall colours of red and orange Bloom Time: July to August

False Spirea

Lilac-purple flower spikes Tall, airy, open foliage Foliage is deeply lobed Excellent cut flowers Bloom Time: June to July Flower Height: 90 cm Foliage Height: 60 cm

KICKIN® Pink Chiffon Aster

Pastel-pink flowers with a gold centre Bushy mounds of finely textured foliage are completely covered in flowers Excellent selection suitable for fall urns or containers Low maintenance Bloom Time: Late summer to mid fall

New England Aster

AKA Symphyotrichum novae-angliae 'Purple Dome' A profuse perennial with dark purple flowers Compact, mounding habit of dark green foliage A dwarf cultivar of the native perennial Aster novae-angliae Bloom Time: Late summer to mid autumn

New England Aster

AKA Symphyotrichum novae-angliae 'Grape Crush' Vibrant rounded purple flowers are produced on mounding green foliage Compact mounding habit and has good resistance to powdery mildew Bloom Time: Late summer- early fall

Japanese Anemone

Large white semi-double blooms with yellow centres Attractive mounds of rich dark green leaves Blooms freely and continuously until frost Deer and rabbit resistant Attracts butterflies Excellent cut flower Bloom Time: Late summer to mid-fall

Hollyhock

Deep blackish-purple single flowers on tall sturdy stalks Vigorous upright perennial Rounded hairy light green foliage This cultivar bred to resist rust Bloom Time: Mid to late summer

Ladybells

Elegant soft violet drooping bell-shaped flowers These fragrant flowers are held upright well above the foliage Tight clumping habit Lance-shaped green leaves Bloom Time: Early summer to fall

Yarrow

Each plant produces flat-topped clusters of flowers in a wide range of pastel shades Fragrant fern-like foliage Bloom Time: Early summer until frost

Adrian's Compact Japanese Maple

Slow-growing compact red Japanese maple New growth is red, contrasting with the burgundy-purple mature foliage Fall colour is a strong orange and red

Sweet Flag

Hardy perennial, swamp or bog plant Foliage and rhizomes have a sweet citrus scent when bruised or cut Wheat-like flowers Great for stabilizing pond edges Bloom Time: June to July

Miniature Hollyhocks

Sturdy stems hold outward- and upward-facing flat 4 cm wide pink flowers Clumps of rounded glossy green basal leaves and deeply-lobed stem leaves Flowers, from July until frost, last a week on the plant, but only 3-4 days as a cut flower Foliage height: 30 cm Flower height: 60 cm

Pussy Willow

Soft silky silvery catkins appear before the leaves Medium-green leaves have downy gray-white undersides Upright habit Bloom Time: Early spring

Shrubby St. John's Wort

Five-petaled yellow flowers are almost obscured by a cloud of stamens Flowers are followed by seed capsules Narrow green leaves Bark exfoliates for winter interest Bloom Time: Late spring to summer

Black Chokeberry

Fragrant white flowers Glossy purple-black berries persist for a long period Glossy green leaves turn an outstanding red in the fall Attracts birds Salt tolerant Bloom Time: Spring

Sweet Basil

Erect bushy annual herb Small white blooms Narrowly oval to elliptic leaves Bright green semi-glossy foliage Highly aromatic Both leaves and oils are used as flavouring agents Bloom Time: June to frost

Mojito Mint

Light purple flowers in interrupted terminal spikes Spearmint-scented round leaves Plants are edible raw or cooked Best used to improve flavour of other foods Grows in moist areas, in plains and foothills Bloom Time: July to August

Wild Chives

White balls of star-like flower clusters Grassy-like leaves and flowers are edible Used for onion flavouring Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer

Golden Alexander

Branching erect reddish stems Each tiny flower is composed of five sepals, five petals and five stamens These tiny flowers form a large flat-topped cluster Dry seed heads turn purple, adding summer interest Bloom Time: May to June