oh, man. If only they would leave a store gift certificate so we could buy a new pristine and full of blooms hydrangea! Any chance the bloom-less sticks will rebloom?

That‘s a shame. I haven’t seen any deer activity so far this year but I still spray with repellent once in a while.

I can't imagine trying to garden without fencing tall enough to keep the deer out. Six feet seems to be sufficient- I see them hopping neighbors four foot fencing with ease but my six footer has always kept them out. Maybe the very high prey drive giant breed dogs help, too.

This is the first time this season they have bothered hydrangeas. Last year they removed ALL the flower from my Bombshell. But that was in a more remote part of the garden. The Bloomstruck is right next to my walkway and close to my entry, which had previously been a fairly safe spot.....they don't like to get that close. And I have two other hydrangeas close by that were/are untouched!

For whatever reason, the deer that visit my garden like flowers.....that's all they ever remove. Snapdragons, rudbeckia, geranium Rozanne, oriental poppy flower buds (never even got to open), a geum. And yesterday with the hydrangeas, a brand new, first of the season flower on Schizostylis!! And they completely decimated my sweet peas :-(

I live alongside a densely wooded greenbelt and I cannot fence. But have found the repellents moderately effective, especially the Plantskydd. I am just not as dilligent as I should be in spraying consistently.....my bad. The deer are very brazen. When I see them, I always go out and chase them off. The young ones bound away quickly but the older ones just stare me down. I have gotten to within a few feet before they decide I mean business. And they just laugh at my dog......he is no threat to them at all.

luis, I see no signs of any new buds on the Bloomstruck. There are still a good number of flowers remaining but they are lower on the plant (new wood) and more or less hidden. And notice how they left the older flowerheads that are past their prime? Older flowers that are beginning to dry up must not taste nearly as good!!

Quite peculiar beasts. They must have been quite hungry! That reminds me to get some carrot & sweet peas! I used to have some pea shrubs that grew out of nowhere when I was growing up. Add more elsewhere and use the other location as a backup location... hope they don't graze there and leave some for you!