Mt. Lebanon has enhanced several high-profile municipal flowers beds with  deer-resistant grasses and perennials.  The plants were recommended by Gateway Engineers, Mt. Lebanon’s engineering firm. The beds’ new look serves a couple of purposes—beyond the obvious deer deterrent, the plantings can be considered a “demonstration garden” for residents who would like to make their own yards more deer-proof.

“If a resident was thinking of something [deer-proof] they could plant on their property, they could see what it looks like when it reaches maturity,” says Gateway’s Stacey Graf of the flower beds.

The plants were put in place  last summer, so as they close in on one year, most have reached full maturity. If you see a picture of a plant that appeals to you in this story, you can check the list that is included and visit the plot to see the plant in person.

This fall, the library and the public information office will be working together to provide residents with more information about sustainable plants that will resist, deer, insects and other creatures that share our living space.

Assistant Library Director Sharon Bruni is putting together a series on gardening that will feature some prominent local experts who can suggest plants that will be resilient in  this zone’s soil and  weather conditions and also able to deter damage from deer and other animals.

And by the way,  most of these plants are attractive, too!

Here’s the rundown of sustainable plants that can be viewed at each of the  spots:

Cedar Boulevard and Beadling Road

Shrubs:  Abbotswood 3 feet by 3 feet; white flowers; full sun
Carefree Beauty Shrub Rose 3 feet by 3 feet; full or partial sun
Blue Pacific Shore Juniper 3 to 5 feet wide; full to partial sun

Groundcovers: Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grass 4 feet high by 2 ½ feet wide; sun and wet soil

Black-Eyed Susan 3 feet high by 2 ½ feet wide; full sun and dry soil

Bower Hill Road and Greenhurst Drive

Shrubs: Carefree Beauty Shrub Rose
Blue Pacific Shore Juniper
Mugho Pine size varies; full sun only

Groundcovers: Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grass 5 feet tall; full to partial shade; well-drained soil
May Night Salvia 18 to 24 inches tall and wide; full sun; purple blooms early to midsummer

Greenhurst Drive and Cedar Boulevard

Trees: Paperbark Maple 20 to 30 feet tall; full sun to part shade

Shrubs: Carefree Beauty Shrub Rose

Groundcovers: Fountain Grass 4 by 4 feet; full sun to part shade; drought, wet soil
May Night Salvia
Shasta Daisy full sun; well-drained soil

Washington Road and Jefferson Drive

Shrubs: Sea Green Juniper 4 feet by 8 feet; full sun
Abbotswood

Groundcovers:
Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grass
May Night Salvia
Black-Eyed Susan

Jefferson Drive

Shrubs: Blue Pacific Shore Juniper

Groundcovers: Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grass
Black-Eyed Susan
Purple Coneflower 5 feet high;
moist soil

Washington Road at Woodhaven and Longuevue drives

Shrubs: Carefree Beauty Shrub Rose

Blue Pacific Shore Juniper

Groundcovers: Fountain Grass 1 to 3 feet high; moist, well-drained soil; blooms from midsummer to autumn
May Night Salvia
Black-Eyed Susan

Washington Road at Park Entrance Drive

Shrubs: Carefree Beauty Shrub Rose

Blue Pacific Juniper

Groundcovers: Fountain Grass
May Night Salvia
Black-Eyed Susan

Sunset Drive at Parkside Avenue

Shrubs: Endless Summer Hydrangea
Blue Pacific Shore Juniper

Groundcover: Hay-scented Fern 2 feet by 4 feet; partial shade; slightly acidic soil

Standish Boulevard and Washington Road

Shrubs: Carefree Beauty Shrub Rose
Blue Pacific Shore Juniper

Groundcovers: Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grass
May Night Salvia
Black-Eyed Susan

Plume Grass 5 feet by 10 feet full sun to partial shade;

Fountain Grass

Beverly Road at Newburn Drive

Shrubs: Carefree Beauty Shrub Rose

Groundcovers: Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grass

Other recommended plants

Shrubs and trees: Inkberry Holly 3 feet by 3 feet; sun

Hinoki Cypress slow growing to 3 feet

Dwarf Fothergilla 3 by 3 feet; sun to part shade; bottle-brush pale yellow blooms in early summer; orange and red fall foliage

Knock Out Rose 3 by 3 feet; sun

Ninebark Summer Wine Purple foliage, pale pink flowers along stem in early summer; arching habit or trim back hard in spring for a more compact mound shape; 3 by 3 feet; sun to light shade 9the more sun, the darker the foliage)
Cotoneaster

Groundcovers: Blue Lyme Grass

Daylily 2 feet by 2 feet; sun or part shade
Russian Sage 2 feet by 2 feet; full sun
Dwarf Fountain Grass 18 to 30 inches high; full sun to part shade
Switchgrass 5 feet by 3 feet; sun to part shade
Geranium Biokovo Karmina  deep rose blooms in late spring; low sun to shade
Blue Fortune 3 feet by 2 feet; sun

New England Aster Deep purple rose, blooms in fall; clay soil; 2 feet by 3 feet, medium mounding form

Blue Plumbago  Blue blossoms in summer; clay soil; 1 foot by 1 ½ feet; sun to shade

Hellebores Various colors, late winter and early spring; dry soil; 1 foot by 1 foot; semi to full shade