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106 l Macon Magazine october/noveMber 2013 You can design your landscapes around deer-tolerant plants, but it usually ends up being boring. ere are other options. I have a few solutions to keep the deer at bay. e first thing that I use on a regular basis is a spray. I know what you are think- ing now, but I have had a good experience with a spray called Deer Out. I don't believe anyone carries it locally, but it is available on Amazon. It has done a wonderful job of protecting the 60 flats of violas I plant at my home and even our winter garden that is full of lettuce, cabbage and other deer desserts. It's all natural, does not wash off, and has a pleasant peppermint smell. I usually spray every two weeks to a month during the winter and once a month on my roses in summer. Another thing that works well is a Rain Scarecrow, also available on Amazon. is is a stake sprinkler that's hooked to a garden hose. It has a motion sensor that will spray a few bursts of water to deter deer. e sudden action of an impact-style sprinkler is enough to keep the deer away from your garden. While both of these work, there are a couple of drawbacks. I love Deer Out, but you have to remember to apply it. If you go a couple months without spraying, your hydrangeas, hosta and roses are at risk. And with a Rain Scarecrow, a garden hose is le pressurized all of the time and that bothers me. It just looks bad, who wants to look at a 2-foot-tall sprinkler in front of their flowers? It also requires a nine-volt battery. What happens when the battery dies? ere is a better solution. It is some- thing I have been thinking about for the past year. I have finally installed one at my home and have been testing and tuning it over the last couple of months. By Rick Wallace A d v e r t i s e m e n t Don't let Deer DeStroy your lanDScaPing One of the worst things in the winter is to wake up in the morning and realize your flowers or your garden has been vandalized by deer. They are a real nuisance in certain parts of Macon. One of my employees lives in Stone Edge, and deer will walk up to him and eat out of his hand. Southern Gardens