Planting DesignDiscover the right plants for your garden.
Deer erotic love to graze on many type of groundcover , specially when novel , warm ontogenesis emerges in the bounce .
Your garden should be a feast for the eyes — not for cervid . While no garden is completely cervid - proof , you could reduce damage by implant potpourri they avoid . Many beautiful plant are unappealing to deer due to their poisonous compound , fuzzy or redolent leave , or ruffianly textures . Here are some top deer - resistive picks to look at .
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DEER-RESISTANT FLOWERS (ANNUALS)
Artist ® Blue dental floss blossom . photograph by : Proven Winners .
FLOSS FLOWER
bunch of lavender - blue flowers and rough - textured foliage keep cervid at bay . Available in shades of blue , pink , purple , and white . For a floss flower that does n’t take deadheading and is better suitable for blistering climate , tryArtist ® Blue(pictured ) .
Zones:10 - 11 , grown as an annual elsewhereExposure : Full sun to fond shadeBloom fourth dimension : recent spring through fallHeight / spread:4 to 36 inches tall , 6 to 18 in wide
take floss flower .
Tagetes tenufolia’Lemon Gem ' . exposure by : RM Floral / Alamy Stock Photo .
SIGNET MARIGOLD
All variety show of marigolds are a turnoff for deer because of their strong , pungent odour . However , signet marigolds ( pictured ) have a lighter citrusy smell and relish , making them democratic for culinary use .
Zones:9 - 10 , grown as an annual elsewhereExposure : Full sunBloom meter : Late bounce until frostHeight / spreadhead : Varies wide , 6 inches to 4 pes tall , 6 inches to 2 feet wide
Learn marigold .
Superbena ® Violet Ice . Photo by : Proven Winners .
VERBENA
Verbenas flower from spring until frost if trimmed back in midsummer . The little prime clusters occur in a wide ambit of colors , include whitened , pink , blue , lavender , over-embellished , dark crimson , yellow and bicolor .
Zones:8 - 11 , grown as an annual elsewhereExposure : Full sunBloom time : May through OctoberHeight / spread : Varies , from low - spring up to upright .
Learn verbena .
purchase verbena plants from Proven succeeder
photograph by : ArliftAtoz2205
SNAPDRAGON
Dramatic spikes of flowers make snapdragons a stunning gain to a cervid - resistant garden . Snapdragons flower most profusely in the cooler weather condition of give and free fall , and come in a variety show of cultivar .
Zones:9 - 10 , develop as an annual elsewhereExposure : Full sunBloom time : Mid - spring to frostHeight / spread:6 to 30 inch tall , 10 to 18 inch wide
Learn snapdragon flowers .
DEER-RESISTANT PERENNIALS
' Denim ' n Lace ' Russian sage . exposure by : Proven Winners .
RUSSIAN SAGE
The fine - disregard silvery foliage makes it an eye - catching makeweight plant in a sunny perennial garden . Tiny prime bloom on marvelous stalks , get lovely plume of color . The flowers will often last well into October .
Zones:5 - 9Exposure : Full sunBloom prison term : Early summer to fallHeight / Spread : Varies , 2 to 4 feet tall & across-the-board
Learn Russian sage .
Buy Russian salvia plants from Proven winner
' Pardon My Cerise ' bee balm . photograph by Proven Winners .
BEE BALM
One of the best works for attracting and underpin pollinators ; however , deer tend to bequeath it alone because of its nipping bouquet .
Zones:3 - 9Exposure : Full sun to partial shadeHeight / Spread : Varies , 1 to 4 feet tall , 8 inches to 3 feet wide
get wind bee balm .
Buy bee balm plants from Proven winner
‘ Stuart Boothman ’ bleeding center . exposure by Ball Horticultural Company .
FRINGED BLEEDING HEART
One of the few native woodland imbed that cervid do n’t go for . Although a bit less showy than the rough-cut hemorrhage marrow , the heart - shaped prime range in colour from white to various shade of pinko .
Zones:3 - 9Exposure : Full sunBloom Time : belated leaping to former fallHeight / Spread:1 to 3 foot marvelous & spacious
Learn phlebotomise heart .
MONKSHOOD
Despite monkshood ’s ill fame as apoisonous plant , it has a captivating beaut and render a welcome display of late - time of year color .
Zones:3 - 8Exposure : Full sunshine to partial shadeBloom clip : belated summertime through fallHeight / Spread:2 to 4 feet marvellous , 1 to 2 groundwork wide
picture by PaylessImages / 123RF .
PEONY
Prized for their great , fragrant blooms , peony have many property beyond their breathtaking beauty . They are tough , reliable , long - hold out , and virtually pestis - proof - admit cervid .
Zones:2 - 8Exposure : Full sun to fond tincture , count on varietyBloom metre : recent bounce to other summer , look on varietyHeight / Spread : Varies , 1 to 3 feet magniloquent & encompassing for shrub varieties ; 4 to 7 feet tall and up to 5 feet wide for tree diagram peony .
Learn paeony .
BLACK COHOSH
Also called black button snakeroot and Veratrum viride , this plant ’s bottlebrush - shaped blossom stiletto heel add drama and stake to a shade or woodland garden and have an unpleasant odor and virulent predilection that snub deer .
Zones:4 - 9Exposure : Partial to full shadeBloom Time : SummerHeight / Spread:4 to 6 feet tall , 2 to 4 feet wide-cut
' Silver Dust ' dusty Arthur Miller . Photo by Tim Gainey / Alamy Stock Photo .
DUSTY MILLER
Grown primarily for its attractive silvery - grey foliage , dusty miller has a matte - like coat that deer find unappetizing .
Zones:7 - 10Exposure : Full sunshine to partial shadeHeight / Spread : Up to 2 base improbable & wide
Lamb ’s Ear . Photo by Julia Senkevich / Shutterstock .
LAMB’S EAR
The grey - green foliation has a velvety balmy , wooly grain which deer do n’t like . This easy - care plant bloom in summertime with spikes of pink to purple flowers .
Zones:4 - 8Exposure : Full sun to fond shadeHeight / Spread:6 to 12 column inch tall , 1 to 4 substructure all-encompassing
Learn lamb ’s ear plant .
See more:30 Deer - Resistant Perennials .
DEER-RESISTANT SHRUBS
North Star ® boxwood . exposure by : Proven Winners .
BOXWOOD
Among the most various evergreens for a cervid - resistant garden . They issue forth in numerous physical body and sizes and take well to pruning . Deer seem to ostracize them because of their potent scent .
Zones:4 - 8Exposure : Partial or dappled wraith , protect from harsh mid - Clarence Day sunHeight / Spread : Varies greatly , from 1 to 20 ft tall , 2 to 8 metrical foot wide-cut
Learn boxwood plants .
corrupt from Proven Winners
Happy Face ® potentilla . Photo by Proven Winners .
CINQUEFOIL
One of the best flowering shrubs for season - long color . cervid incline to find oneself the finely textured blue - green foliage unappealing . democratic cultivars includeHappy facial expression ® (pictured ) .
Zones:2 - 8Exposure : Full sun to fond shadeBloom time : June through SeptemberHeight / Spread : Varies , from 3 in to 4 substructure magniloquent , 6 inches to 5 feet wide
Learn cinquefoil plants .
Pugster blueish ® butterfly bush . Photo by : Proven Winners .
BUTTERFLY BUSH
Attract bees and butterflies while you resist off deer . Flower colors are typically deep purpleness , pink , or white , although some crossbreed have orangish and gold bloom . For modest gardens , tryPugster .
Zones:5 - 9Exposure : Full sunBloom meter : summertime until frostHeight / Spread : Varies , 18 inches to 7 feet marvellous , 18 inches to 5 feet wide-cut
Learn butterfly stroke bush .
Double Play ® Candy Corn ® spirea . picture by Proven Winners .
SPIREA
It ’s a bit of a secret why deer avoid spiraea . A wide of the mark array of sizes are uncommitted . An interesting choice isDouble Play ® Candy Corn ® (pictured ) , with foliage that issue bright Bolshevik and matures to yellow .
Zones:3 - 8Exposure : Full sunBloom fourth dimension : There are spring- and summer - blossom varietiesHeight / Spread:1 to 8 foot tall , up to 6 feet wideNote : Japanese spirea ( Spiraea japonica ) is incursive in parts of the U.S. and Canada;see where .
find out spiraea plants .
Gin Fizz ™ juniper . Photo by Proven Winners .
JUNIPER
Junipers have many different uses : ground cover , accent plants , topiary , and privacy screens . They rebuff cervid because of the volatile oil in their needle , they also are drought tolerant and have few pesterer problems .
Zones:3 - 7Exposure : Full sunHeight / Spread : Varies greatly , 6 inches to over 100 feet tall , 1 to 25 feet wide
Learn junipers .
See more:25 Deer - immune Shrubs .
DEER-RESISTANT GROUNDCOVERS
Pachysandra terminalis’Variegata ' . Photo by John Richmond / Alamy Stock Photo .
JAPANESE PACHYSANDRA
chiefly grown for its glossy green foliation , which spreads apace ; an append attracter are spikes of petite white blooms . ' Variegata ' ( pictured ) has leave-taking with creamy white edge .
Zones:4 - 9Exposure : Partial to full shadeBloom meter : Early springHeight / Spread:3 to 4 inches improbable , circulate 7 to 8 in
Athyrium niponicumvar . pictum . exposure by Ball Horticultural Company .
JAPANESE PAINTED FERN
Deer disregard most ferns , including this low - growing variety with silver - gray frond paint with strokes of green and mauve . Like other ferns , it pass around freely by crawl rhizomes , but not sharply .
Zones:4 - 9Exposure : fond to full shadeHeight / Spread:1 to 3 feet tall , 1 to 2 feet wide
Photo by Ball Horticultural Company .
LADY’S MANTLE
bunch of tiny chartreuse flowers restrain on farseeing stems make lady ’s mantle a garden favorite . The broad scallop - edged leaves are traverse with delicate hairs that cervid find exceptionable .
Zones:3 - 9Exposure : Full sun to partial shadeBloom metre : previous spring to early summerHeight / Spread:1 to 2 metrical foot tall & wide-eyed
LILY OF THE VALLEY
Dainty bell - shaped flower perfume the air with a celestial sweetness in early bound . lustrous red berry form after flowering , and the lancet - shaped leaves last all summer , serving as an attractive groundcover .
Zones:2 - 7Exposure : Partial to full shadeBloom time : Early springHeight:6 to 18 inches tall
Learn lily of the valley .
Carex morrowii’Ice Dance ' . Photo by : Ball Horticultural Company .
JAPANESE SEDGE
This clump - forming grasslike plant makes an excellent ground cover for moist , shady area . cultivar with variegated green and white foliage are especially arresting , providing a aglow glow .
Zones:5 - 9Exposure : fond to full shadeHeight:12 to 24 in grandiloquent
Learn sedge plant .
Choosing deer - insubordinate plants postulate more than just guesswork — some plants are simply less likeable to deer due to perfume , texture , or toxicity . For more elaborated insights , consult theRutgers Deer Resistance Rating organisation , which ranks plants based on extensive study observations in New Jersey and nearby region . Keep in mind,“Success of any of these plant in the landscape will count on local deer population and conditions consideration . "
PLANTS TO AVOID
DEER-PROOFING TIPS
See moredeer - insubordinate plants
ONLINE LEARNING:DESIGNING A DEER-RESISTANT GARDEN
With an emphasis on design , horticulture expert Karen Chapman teaches you her tried - and - true method acting for creating beautiful , deer - tolerant garden areas . Her tips go well beyond a deer - repellent plant list , as she shows you multiple strategy , as well as how to flux them together to get more bang for your deer - insubordinate buck . signalise me up !
New book release from Karen Chapman , Deer Resistant Design : Fence - free Gardens That Thrive Despite the cervid - buy now on Amazon .
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Anne Balogh is a longtime gardening writer and editor in chief for Garden Design , with over 20 years of experience covering everything from container planting to landscape painting trends . She draws inspiration from her own Zone 5 garden in Illinois , where she experiments with dauntless perennials and unfolding annuals .
