planting shrubs close to a chainlink fence

I hadn't thought of bayberry, I will look into that one. Maybe they don't like the smell I guess.
Good idea about testing one first before buying several, would not of thought of that of course! I planted some rhododendrons but I put them right next to the house, hopefully they won't be that bold (fingers crossed lol)

Don't bet on it ! This deer was munching on a neighbor's annuals and staring at him while he took the picture.

The good news is, maybe deer in your area won't know that rhododendron buds are good to eat.

Maybe they are scared of fireworks lol I could shoot stuff out the window at it :)

I need a motion sensing lion that roars when they come in my yard, HA!

Great ideas! : )
Of everything I've tried (including fishing line strung on posts to create a "fence", which worked for awhile), the only things that really work are deer spray, systemic deer repellent tablets, netting, and my 6' tall privacy fence. Instead of spraying my black-eyed Susan's to protect the buds, I cover them with netting until they're ready to open. Every year, I find that the deer eat things they didn't touch before.

I tried using little bags filled with a powder that smelled like dead animals. It worked for awhile, then apparently the deer decided they weren't in danger of getting eaten. I, on the other hand, was bowled over by the stench if I left any on shrubs by mistake after the weather warmed up!

Have you tried a low electric fence? I visited a hosta grower nearby a few years ago who grows about 7,000 plugs a year. His only protection was an electric fence about a foot off the ground. I thought how does this work when they can walk across it as easily as we did. He said once they get zapped they don't come back. If I see him next year I will have to ask him if that still works.

The hosta grower came up with a clever solution, but it wouldn't work for me. First off, I'm such a klutz that I would repeatedly shock myself and/or trip over it. Plus, my birds and squirrels wouldn't like it, and the neighbors might object if their cats got zapped.

The birds would be okay if they land on the wire (same potential). Neighbor's cats and squirrels are just a bonus, right? If the squirrel walks the wire then it won't get shocked but if it touches the ground and the wire at the same time then it would get a good zap. Betcha it wouldn't get around that area again.

I wanted to put up one around the mailbox at our last house for dogs doing their business on the clematis or whatever we had planted at the time but kids might have checked it out and gotten a good shock so no good on that front.

I touched the neighbor's horse fence electric wire once. Gets your attention but its not gonna knock a person down.

Calycanthus is called deer resistant at Forestfarm's site- leaves have a spicy smell.

Some hollies are so wicked sharp it's hard to think deer eat them, but do they?

Got enough of your attention to not do it again?

In addition to its scent, I read that Calycanthus has hairy leaves, which deer prefer not to eat.

Deer do not touch hollies around here.

yes hcmc, haha.

I know we would hold hands as a kid and then one would grab the electric fence so we'd all get shocked. Once is enough with that silly game.

How about hawthorn? Pretty wicked thorns but I like its prickly good looks. Locust on the other hand...

dumb question, but what happens if electric fence is strung over chain link? Does it make the whole fence hot?

Good question. I think it won't work to electrify the chain link because all the posts are in the ground. Here is some more advice on why that won't work.

http://www.zarebasystems.com/learning-center/containing/critters-pets/critter-and-pet-faqs


But here is an article on how to use both.

http://www.hobbyfarmblog.com/livestock-pets/chain-link-fence-pets/

That Hawthorn looks a little ouchy HCMC, I like it's prickly good looks too. I'd like it as long as it never needs pruning!