I just recently found out that heather is deer resistant and i would like to plant some small heather around my wifes grave site. I emphasized small because i'm restricted in what i can plant. My wife loved the evergreen family because of the green all winter long. I am in the Pittsburgh Pa area. Amy suggestions would be welcomed along with where I might purchase said plants.

Thank you,

There are sooo many varities of heathers (calluna species) and their cousins the heaths (Erica species) (also deer resistent), that it would be impossible to make a good and specific recommendation at this point, but a few things that may help guide selection:

1) Bloom time - True heathers (the callunas) are summer bloomers. Many of the heaths that would be zone 6 hardy are winter or very early spring bloomers. Given that you probably have quite a bit of snow cover there in P-burgh, I'm gussing that you would want to avoid winter bloomers. So, unless I am mistaken, that basically leaves callunas and Erica cinereas.

2) Getting established - All these plants are drought tolerant once established, but need to be kept from drying out for the first year or two. Since I imagine this planting is not at your home, something needing frequent watering might not be a good choice. And in that case, Erica cinereas (though in my opinion definately more appealing that callunas) get knocked down a peg -- they are harder to establish and can die pretty quickly if they dry out in the first year.

3) Foliage color and flower color -- many choices here.

4) Size and shape -- There are upright growers and carpeters, and also significant differences in overall size.

5) Soil pH -- Heaths/heathers prefer acid soil, and some require it. If you can find out or check the pH of the soil where you'll be planting, you'd do yourself a favor, so you could select an alkaline-tolerant variety if need be.

So, pH issues aside, what I recommend is that you click through the heathsandheathers (or other online site) catalog, and find the plant size, foliage color and flower color that you think most appropriate.

And to sum it up, my opinion is the Erica cinerea group is the best looking of the summer bloomers, but potentially problematic because of the need for frequent watering during the first year.

Finally, if you want to post some of your preferences in regard to above issues, I might be able to suggest a specific cultivar or two.

Good luck with it!