Landscaping

Shaped by hand, one bed at a time.

Every path, planting bed, lawn, and tree line on the property has been shaped by hand. The landscaping ties the house, the gardens, and the working areas together so the ranch is as good to walk through as it is to work. These are the projects that made it that way.

Paths and approach

Drives, walkways, and edges laid out so the property reads clean from the first turn in.

Planting beds

Shrubs, flowers, and accents placed to frame the house and soften the working spaces around it.

Lawns and trees

Open green space and shade, kept up season after season so the whole place feels cared for.

Plant guide

Native and deer-resistant plants for Placerville.

Plants that thrive in the Sierra foothills at about 1,900 feet: hot dry summers, wet winters, clay and granite soils, and plenty of deer. Natives need the least water once established and feed local birds, bees, and butterflies. Filter by what matters most on your ground.

Showing 25 of 25 plants

Plant	Type	Native	Deer	Sun	Water	Why we like it
Valley oakQuercus lobata	Tree	El Dorado County native	Protect when young	Full sun	Low once established	The grand oak of the foothills. Huge wildlife value; cage seedlings until they clear deer height.
Blue oakQuercus douglasii	Tree	El Dorado County native	Protect when young	Full sun	Very low	Tough, drought-hardy native oak with blue-gray leaves. Protect young trees from browsing.
Ponderosa pinePinus ponderosa	Tree	El Dorado County native	Usually left alone	Full sun	Low once established	Tall, fast-growing native pine that deer generally leave alone.
Western redbudCercis occidentalis	Tree	El Dorado County native	Usually left alone	Sun to part shade	Low to moderate	Magenta blooms in early spring and heart-shaped leaves. A foothill favorite.
ManzanitaArctostaphylos spp.	Shrub	El Dorado County native	Deer resistant	Full sun	Very low	Leathery leaves deer avoid, red bark, and winter flowers for early bees. Needs good drainage.
Sticky monkeyflowerDiplacus aurantiacus	Shrub	El Dorado County native	Deer resistant	Sun to part shade	Low	Sticky leaves and months of orange flowers that hummingbirds love.
ToyonHeteromeles arbutifolia	Shrub	El Dorado County native	Protect when young	Sun to part shade	Low	Evergreen screen with bright red winter berries for the birds. Deer nibble new growth.
California lilacCeanothus spp.	Shrub	El Dorado County native	Protect when young	Full sun	Very low	Clouds of blue spring flowers. Deer browse some kinds; the tough, small-leaved types hold up best.
California bush anemoneCarpenteria californica	Shrub	California native	Usually left alone	Part shade	Low to moderate	Sierra foothill native with glossy leaves and big white flowers in late spring.
Cleveland sageSalvia clevelandii	Shrub	California native	Deer resistant	Full sun	Very low	Fragrant silver foliage and lavender-blue flowers. Deer dislike the scent.
LavenderLavandula spp.	Shrub	Not native	Deer resistant	Full sun	Low	Aromatic, long-blooming, and a reliable deer deterrent along paths and borders.
RosemarySalvia rosmarinus	Shrub	Not native	Deer resistant	Full sun	Low	Evergreen, fragrant, and useful in the kitchen. Deer rarely touch it.
California fuchsiaEpilobium canum	Perennial	El Dorado County native	Deer resistant	Full sun	Low	Scarlet tubular flowers in late summer and fall when little else blooms. A hummingbird magnet.
YarrowAchillea millefolium	Perennial	El Dorado County native	Deer resistant	Full sun	Low	Flat white flower heads, ferny foliage, and poor browse for deer. Spreads to fill gaps.
PenstemonPenstemon spp.	Perennial	El Dorado County native	Usually left alone	Full sun	Low	Tall spikes of tubular flowers for bees and hummingbirds. Good on dry banks.
California poppyEschscholzia californica	Perennial	El Dorado County native	Deer resistant	Full sun	Very low	The state flower. Reseeds on its own in poor soil and sunny spots.
Western columbineAquilegia formosa	Perennial	El Dorado County native	Usually left alone	Part shade	Moderate	Red and yellow nodding flowers for shady, moist corners.
Native irisIris spp.	Perennial	El Dorado County native	Deer resistant	Part shade	Low	Spring flowers under oaks and along paths. Deer pass it by.
MilkweedAsclepias spp.	Perennial	El Dorado County native	Deer resistant	Full sun	Low	Host plant for monarch butterflies. The sap keeps deer away.
Blue-eyed grassSisyrinchium bellum	Perennial	El Dorado County native	Usually left alone	Sun to part shade	Low	Small clumps with violet-blue spring flowers. Nice edging along walkways.
Hummingbird sageSalvia spathacea	Perennial	California native	Deer resistant	Shade to sun	Low	Fragrant ground cover with magenta flower spikes. One of the few natives for dry shade.
CatmintNepeta spp.	Perennial	Not native	Deer resistant	Full sun	Low	Soft gray foliage and lavender flowers most of the summer. Deer skip it.
Deer grassMuhlenbergia rigens	Grass	El Dorado County native	Deer resistant	Full sun	Low	Big fountain-shaped native bunchgrass. Despite the name, deer are not interested.
California fescueFestuca californica	Grass	El Dorado County native	Usually left alone	Part shade	Low	Soft blue-green bunchgrass for oak woodland and shady slopes.
DaffodilsNarcissus spp.	Bulb	Not native	Deer resistant	Sun to part shade	Low (winter rain)	Toxic to deer and gophers, so they naturalize and come back every spring.

A word on deer: as the El Dorado County Master Gardeners put it, no plant is truly deer proof. A hungry deer in a dry year will sample almost anything. Cage new plantings for the first season or two, water less so growth stays tough, and save the tender favorites for fenced beds.

Deer resistant Rarely eaten
Usually left alone Occasionally sampled
Protect when young Deer browse new growth until it matures

Compiled from the UCCE Master Gardeners of El Dorado County deer-resistant plant list, the El Dorado Chapter CNPS native plant list, the California Native Plant Society deer-resistant natives, and Sierra Foothill Garden. For plants matched to your exact address, try Calscape.

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Around the property

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