I'm so sorry decogrl. 90 is very impressive, she must have been quite the personality and sport. Please accept my condolences, I lost both my grandmothers last spring and summer of 09, so just to let you know other people know exactly what you are going through.

Deer have never bothered our peony plants, I consider peonies pretty indestructible. But that is our local deer, your local deer herd might be far more inclined to munch.

Some ideas for your own property and your grandmother's.

Pink hybrid-musk rose Kathleen was introduced in 1922

If you could keep it away from the deer, that could be special. What was her name? We might find a cultivar of something that shares her name.

I would also recommend Hydrangea arborescens varieties 'Annabelle' 'Grandiflora' and 'Invincibelle Spirit', you might be familiar, it's a native hydrangea that forms colonies and is generally deer-resistant, also very old fashioned and romantic looking. My aunt has a large colony of I believe Annabelle in front of her very old (part log cabin) house and they bloom pretty much a long time mid-summer. The Invincibelle Spirit shrub is a new development that has pink flowers, pretty much a color breathrough for a formerly only white hydrangea family. The pink is very sweet and old fashioned shade, sometimes kind of shell pink, and because the "flower" is made up of florets smaller than those on Japanese macrophylia hydrangeas, the look is in my eyes more feminine and
antique to my eyes.

One is a true antique from the 1880's, the pink was introduced in 2009 so relatively new but very charming.

Let me know what you think, I'll look for more.

- Max

Thanks for the ideas. Her name was Bernice. Yes I have grown Annabelle..and the oakleaf (deer have touched neither so far). Another cute thing about her was she Loved candies and sweets. (unfortunately I inherited that trait:)

I really like Annabelle, isn't she nice? My grandmother loved hydrangeas. That same grandmother LOVED sweets too, she always had chewy Dots around, as well as chocolates and cookies. She was never a big baker but there were always bags of cookies from a local bakery that makes the best chocolate chip cookies.

I'll have to do some searching, I want to find something nice for your grandmother, I'll post again when I find some more things.

Hey, I just noticed your are probably fairly close to me I am in NOVA. I presume then what works well for you in the garden, should be the same for me. Thanks again for the info..now I am thinking of sweets or candy names..maybe even chocolate flower or the chocolate cosmos..hmmm anything with the name "Bon Bon" that was her favorite..always had a box on hand:)

Oh god, I can't believe I didn't think of this, If you're in VA you could plant the camellia 'Bernice Boddy'!

Here is a link that might be useful: Bernice

Thanks I can try that one in my garden, but the garden I will plant for my grandmother is in PA and I don't think it will fare well there:(

I had that in mind for your garden, still thinking on the plant for her house in PA. How about a peony? Here's one called Bernice Carr, it's pink!

Here is a link that might be useful: Bernice Carr Peony

Hi just skimming through the forum and this post caught my eye. You might want to check out Old House Gardens, they have a nice selection of heirloom plants, Also a couple books that might be helpful, Landscapes and Gardens for Historic Buildings by Rudy J. Favretti and Joy Putnam Favretti, also Restoring American Gardens An Encyclopedia of Heirloom Ornamental Plants 1640 - 1940 by Denise Wiles Adams
Just an FYI on Annabelle (which I love) it was collected from the wild near Anna Illinois in 1910 but was not put into commercial production into 1962.

Thanks I saw the Bernice Peony yesterday online. There is also a Bernice Campanula that I want in my garden as well. Both are deer resistant. Found out grandmother did NOT like roses..darned! Still looking and planning. Maybe I'll focus on sweet names of plants and more 1922 introductions. T

THanks oath 5 for the suggestions. Sold my aunt on the idea. But she really stressed to me not much maintenance. THinking about a lot of bulb type plants or tubers...irises (some ARE deer resistant) bleeding hearts, she wants an Alba. Any other thoughts?

Daffodils are USUALLY deer resistant. Old House Gardens has a nice selection.

She wants an alba rose? Get Great Maiden's Blush, K�nigin von D�nemark or Felicite Parmentier

Peonys are no maintenance. All you have to do is put out a peony cage in the spring and then after frost clean up foliage. And sometimes a little lime/ I don't even put up a cage. If your aunt is now in charge of your grandmother's property and doesn't want something fussy- I'd do the Bernice peony!

Or FESTIVA MAXIMA, 1851, that a favorite of mine, I like the perfume.

More peonies:

'Raspberry Sundae'
' Rasperberry Ice'
'Garden Parfait'
'Pink Parfait'
'Bowl of Cream'
'Candy Stripe'
'Madelon' (bred in 1922)
'Blanche King' (bred in 1922)
'Alice Harding' (bred in 1922)
'Laura Dessert'
'Suzanne Dessert'
'Candy Heart'
'Chiffon Clouds'
'Chocolate Soldier' (If she loved chocolate...this one...)
'Hot Chocolate'
'Lemon Chiffon'
'Raspberry Charm'
'Sugar 'n Spice'
'Pink Lemonade'

Bleeding hearts are okay, but they die back during the summer, not that peonies are that useful during the summer either, I just like them a lot....they'll probably outlive both your aunt and yourself. Thus in a way your grandmother will live on in that house that way.

All narcissus/daffodils are deer/critter resistant because they are POISONOUS. As are hyacinth and fritillary. Alliums are left alone by critters as well.

Unfortunately many of the spring blooming bulbs you have to wait until autumn (you probably know this) so places that have interesting cultivars, may not have them in stock anymore....I like the white daffodil 'Thalia'

Also here's a nursery that sells "chocolate" plants as in platns brown/chocolate colored or with candy/chocolate names!

Here is a link that might be useful: chocolateflowerfarm

Thanks...I like the Suzanne peony..that is my name:)

My grandmother has been gone for many years but I have the fondest memories of her.

Her favorite plant was the pansy/viola. Everytime I see them, I think of her. She had window boxes full of them and in other areas in her tiny city garden. My mother, who passed away before Grammie, also loved Pansies, spring flowers, lilacs and apple blossoms.

Do you know what her favorite plant was? And would you want to plant it at your home instead of her home where you aunt might have trouble keeping up with it?

I have pansies for Gram, spring flowers for Mom, peonies from my Dad's garden, a birch tree for my older brother and forget-me-nots for my younger brother. I like having the plants here in my garden because it is about my memories of them.

Does that make sense?

I am doing this for my aunt, who LOVES the idea. She is having a difficult time coping and wants a carefree garden. I have a garden FULL and I mean FULL of plants...I don't have much more room to do one.

Thanks everyone for all of the tips. I know now what I will be doing...just need to get the plants and get up to PA in the spring.