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I'm working on developing a heritage garden at the Gustavus Adolphus College Arboretum. What kind of perennial flowers would have been common in the 1850s to 1870s? And are there varieties that would not be eaten by deer or rabbits?

Last Updated: December 19, 2007

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It is pretty hard to come up with plants specifically for those 20 years. Since the settlers came here from Europe and Asia, they all brought various plants from their homeland with them. Here are a list of perennials from colonial gardens: Blanket Flower (Gaillardia x grandiflora) Caterbury Bells (Campanula medium) Biennial Creeping Jennie (Lysimachia nummularia) Feverfew Globeflower (Trollius europaeus) Hen-and-Chickens (Sempervivum tectorum) Hollyhock (Alcea rosea) Honesty or Money Plant (Lunaria annua) Jacob's Ladder (Polemonium caeruleum) Johnny-Jump-Up (Viola tricolor) Daylily (Hemerocallis flava) Common Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) Monkshood (Aconitum henryi) Peony (Paeonia lactiflora) Pinks (Dianthus plumarius Semperflorens) Rose, Eglantine—Sweet Brier (Rosa eglanteria) Rudbeckia or Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida) Southernwood Artemisia (Artemisia abrotanum) Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) Various ferns Bulbs used were tulips, lily, and grape hyacinth. Herbs were very popular including: • Annuals: anise, sweet basil, borage, chervil, coriander, dill, peppergrass, Rocket Roquette arugula • Perennials: angelica (biennial), burnet, caraway, catnip, chives, hyssop, marjoram, mints, rue, sage, and thyme Deer-resistant plants (but understand that all plants are at risk if a deer is hungry enough) include: Hen-and-Chickens (Sempervivum spp.) (spiny varieties) Carpet Bugle (Ajuga reptans) — annual Myrtle (Vinca major) Santolina (Santolina spp.) Spearmint (Menta spicata) Thyme (Thymus spp.) Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum spp.) (flowers eaten) Cosmos bipinnatus — annual Dusty Miller (Senecio cineraria) — annual Foxglove (Digitalis spp.) Holly Fern (Cyrtomium falicatum) Purple Salvia (Salvia farinacea) — annual Mexican Mint Marigold (Tagetes) Periwinkle (Vinca rosea) Purple Cone Flower (Echinacea angustifolia) Savory (Satureia) Sword Fern (Nephrolepis spp.) Wood Fern (Dryopteris spp.) Yarrow (Achillea filipendulina) There are very few plants a rabbit will pass up. Fencing is the best solution to keep out rabbits. Online Resources: Deer Resistant Plant List

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