Are deer decimating your garden?

I'm very well aware of the issues and challenges created by deer in not-too-distant lands, but (and I would never gloat -- just stating a fact), my neighbors and I are completely unaffected, as I live in western Nassau. Out East (and in Westchester County and other points north), there's an entirely different story to tell.

Just to illustrate the differences, I present an email I received about a week ago from a reader named Pete. He writes:

Hi, Pete,

I know a lot of people who consider rabbits a plague on their gardens, and yet when we're "lucky" enough to spot one, it's a big deal ("Quick, kids! Grab the camera! There's a rabbit out in the yard! Shhh! Don't scare him away!") This kind of behavior would be ludicrous if the rabbits were multiplying like, well, rabbits in my neighborhood, and eating up all the blood, sweat and tears in my garden. In that case, the conversation might go something like, "Quick! Grab the slingshot!" (I'm kidding -- so please don't hate-mail me with how-could-you-advocate-killing-bunnies letters.)

After reading about the plight of deer-sticken gardeners, you might still want to lure those cutie pies to your garden, but you'll understand why it's not a good idea. I will, however, say that deer love to eat arborvitae trees, hollyhocks, impatiens, crocuses, daylilies, hostas, roses and tulips. Most readers would take that information and avoid planting them. You can do what you wish with it.