I would start with cleome and daisy, since your deer aren't eating them. The sage should be relatively safe (although hungry deer will eat almost anything).

Is the fishing drawn tight, or left with some slack? The deer around me have barely noticed it in my trials on a few selected beds (they have also stripped most of the understory from the woods and must be getting hungry)

Geez, I live in Westchester too and "my" deer will eat practically anything! Even peonies. They don't seem to eat wisteria, surprisingly. Any they've avoided the butterfly bush as well.

"Liquid Fence" works OK, but I've spent a fortune on the stuff. Will be putting up a 8-foot plastic fence this Spring. Yuk.

what about guying one or two of those scarecrow sprinklers that are motion activated?

I live right in the middle of deer. Walk thru my yard, raid what they can and leave lots of "sign". Don't mind the sign, but hate it when they mow every thing. Have found planting foxglove, snapdragons and sweet william helps to keep them away. I also use Deer Away from Jackson Perkins. Spendy but lasts 3 months or so. They also don't like dahlia's or lilies. Sooo....plant that stuff around the few roses that I cherish. Helps alot. When the deer are hungry though, will get everything mowed. Good luck!! karrykay

For the shade, try Helleborus and some ferns- Dryopteris species are reputed to be deer resistant.
Yarrow, Gold & Silver Chrysanthemum (Anjana), Basket of Gold(Alyssum montanum- also evergreen), Blue Star (Amsonia), Columbines, Atremesia and some asters.

Check out this list- it's a z7 nursery, but many of the plants are z6 or higher. Also check your local extension agency, and google deer resistant plants, there's lots of lists out there. Having said that, no list will garantee deer won't eat the plant. Your deer might eat stuff that deer in the next county won't touch.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sandy's Deer List

Also check this site- it was referenced on another deer thread.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rutgers deer list

Dear Westchester, I sympathize. I converted my gardens to mostly deer-resistant plants and am enjoying the benefits. The plants you mention and those mentioned by others are generally deer-resistant (except the liliesÂIÂll trade deer with that person).

The main reason I reply is to let you know there is another recent post in this forum about home-brewed concoctions. Many of these are more effective than bought ones. I know. Also the motion detector-sprayers are effective. (I garden upstate where my land borders a forest preserve, so deer drop by throughout the day and night.) I also want to let you know of a z5 nursery (MI) that sells only deer-resistant plants. (You can check their ratings on gardenwatchdog.com)

Finally, a word of caution about lists of deer-resistant plants. For every two deer that dislike, say, Rudbekia, one will love it. So, take anybodyÂs list with a grain of salt and as a potential dinner invitation to Bambi&Co.

Here is a link that might be useful: Deer-Resistant Nursery