10 types of plants that voles will avoid at all costs P6 (end)

Crown Imperial

It's understandable why voles don't eat crown imperial bulbs (Fritillaria imperialis) as these plants stink. But gardeners love them for the height (they grow up to four feet) and impressive blooms they bring to the spring garden. While they are not the easiest plants to grow, they are among the most fun plants to grow.

Daffodils

Few flowers are better suited to woodland gardens than are daffodils (Narcissus). As poisonous plants, voles are repelled by them, as are all other pests. They want full sun, but the full-sun requirement isn't as difficult to meet as it is for many plants, since daffodils bloom in spring. They can be grown under deciduous trees since they'll get enough sun (before the trees leaf out) to acquire the nutrients they need for the growing season.

There are many different types, including:

Ice Follies: White, with classic trumpet; 20 inches high
Replete: Double flower: creamy outer petals and a ruffly, peach-colored center instead of a classic trumpet; 12 to 18 inches high
Tickled Pinkeen: Creamy-yellow outer petals with a classic trumpet in a salmon-orange color; 16 inches high
Professor Einstein: White outer petals with an orange cup in the center; 16 inches high

Grape Hyacinth

The life cycle of grape hyacinths (Muscari botryoides) differs from that of other spring bulbs. Grape hyacinths send up foliage in fall. This foliage can get rather ratty-looking. But resist the temptation to cut back the unsightly leaves. Through photosynthesis, they are sending energy down into their bulbs, where it will be stored through winter. Flowers and new leaves pop up in spring, before the plants go dormant in summer.

Grape hyacinths are a good choice for low-maintenance landscaping. Not only do voles not eat them, but they also last longer than do many other bulbs. With their tendency to naturalize, they'll also spread to fill in an area if left alone, or you can divide them and transplant them to other areas of the yard.

Irises

There's a type of iris to please just about everybody. Lovers of fragrance gardens appreciate that some types are among the most fragrant plants. If you have a wet spot in the landscape, you'll want the kind known as "blue flag" (Iris versicolor), which is a wetland plant.

There are irises with small, delicate flowers such as the reticulated (Iris reticulata), but also irises with big, bold blooms such as Iris germanica Batik (24 inches tall, USDA zones 4 through 9, full sun). Its fragrant, purple flowers are streaked with irregular blotches of white.

Salvia

Salvia plants also stink; that's why voles don't eat them. There are both annual and perennial types of salvia. Most everyone knows about the (usually) red annual kind used as a bedding plant. But gardeners who prefer perennials have various types to choose from, including:

• Victoria Blue (S. farinacea Victoria Blue), hardy only in zone 7 and warmer
• May Night (S. nemorosa May Night), zones 5 through 9
• Caradonna (S. nemorosa Caradonna), zones 4 through 8
• Blue Hill (S. nemorosa Blue Hill), zones 4 through 8