Planting DesignDiscover the right plants for your garden.
If you live in a suburban or rural area , you ’ve in all probability experienced the harm that deer can cause to your garden . precious plants can be completely decimated overnight due to cervid skimming . Though you ca n’t whole eliminate the problem without set up a cervid fence — which can be expensive — you’re able to deter cervid by include perennials and other plants they dislike .
cervid will corrode almost anything if they are hungry enough , preferring tender Modern plant outgrowth that ’s easier to chew . recent winter and other spring when food sources are scarce is when garden plants are most vulnerable to graze . Deer are less likely to bother flora that have :
Here are some of the best cervid - resistant perennial to admit in your garden :
‘ Delft Lace ’ astilbe . Photo by : Proven Winners
ASTILBE (Astilbespp.)
Zones:3 - 9
Exposure : Full sun to shade ; flowers best with partial sunHabit : Upright spreading habitHeight / Spread:1 to 4 feet tall and wideBloom time : Summer
Known as false spiraea , the showy flower plume come out in summertime , brightening up moist forest and fishy borders . The smell , texture , and caustic gustatory perception of astilbe bloom are distasteful to deer . Read astilbe .
‘ Delft Lace ’ astilbefrom Proven Winners , pictured .
‘ Pardon My Cerise ’ bee balm . Photo by : Proven Winners
BEE BALM (Monardaspp.)
photograph : Full Lord’s Day to part shadeHabit : Upright habitHeight / Spread:1 to 4 feet tall , 1 to 3 foot wideBloom time : previous bounce to fall
Bee balm produces whorls of tubular blossom that are extremely attractive to bees , butterflies , and other pollinator . relate to sight , this resilient herbaceous perennial has a pungent spirit and taste that cervid disapproval . Read bee balm .
‘ Pardon My Cerise ’ bee balmfrom Proven Winners , pictured .
' Double Gold ' black - eyed Susan . picture by : catus / Shutterstock
BLACK-EYED SUSAN (Rudbeckiaspp.)
Zones:3 - 10
photo : Full sunHabit : Upright propagate habitHeight / Spread:1 to 5 feet tall , 1 to 3 feet wideBloom time : summertime to fall
This prairie indigen is a suddenly - lived perennial , two-year , or annual with cheerful daisy - like efflorescence in fond tones of orangish , icteric , amber , and red . Deer get hold the rough texture of the fuzzy stems and leaves to be unappealing . understand black - eyed Susan .
‘ Pink Diamonds ’ fern - leaved bleeding heart . Photo by : Proven Winners
BLEEDING HEART (Lamrocapnos spectabilissyn.Dicentra spectabilis)
Exposure : fond shadeHabit : upright piano spreading habitHeight / Spread:2 to 3 feet improbable , 1 to 3 feet wideBloom clock time : later spring to former summer
This darling springtime ephemeral is characterize by sorcerous heart - shaped flower that occur above the delicate ferny leafage . Though bleeding core is consider deer - immune , this can vary reckon on whether more preferable food source are available . Read phlebotomize pith .
‘ Pink diamond ’ fern - exit bleeding heartfrom Proven Winners , see .
‘ down in the mouth Whiskers ’ blueish meadow fescue . pic by : Proven succeeder
BLUE FESCUE (Festuca glauca)
Zones:4 - 8
Exposure : Full sunHabit : mound clumping habitHeight / Spread:6 to 12 inch grandiloquent , 16 to 18 inch wideBloom time : summertime
This thick decorative sess is grown for the wispy silvery - blue foliage that adds grain and color to bed , border , and mass plantings . Fescue is not a preferred plant of deer , possibly due to its humiliated nutritionary value , though plants may be more susceptible to cervid browsing if other solid food is scarce .
‘ Cat ’s Pajamas ’ catmint . pic by : Proven succeeder
CATMINT (Nepetaspp.)
Exposure : Full sun to part shadeHabit : mound spread habitHeight / Spread:1 to 3 feet marvellous and wideBloom time : previous give to fall
An easy - maintenance perennial , catmint blooms for month with clusters of vivid drear bloom , though some varieties grow pink or clean flowers . This passel relation is shunned by deer for its pungent perfume and taste . take catmint .
‘ Cat ’s Pajamas ’ catmintfrom Proven Winners , pictured .
Songbird ‘ Blue Bird ’ columbine . exposure by : Proven Winners
COLUMBINE (Aquilegiaspp.)
vulnerability : Full Lord’s Day to part shadeHabit : Upright habitHeight / Spread:8 to 36 inches tall , 8 to 24 inches wideBloom time : Mid - natural spring to early summertime
A favorite spring woodland perennial , columbine is characterize by open - confront flowers with long upwards or back - facing urging . Deer will obviate eating columbine plants due to their toxic compound . Read columbine .
Color take in ‘ The Fuchsia is Bright ’ coneflower . Photo by : Proven Winners
CONEFLOWER (Echinaceaspp.)
picture : Full sunHabit : Upright spreading habitHeight / Spread:1 to 5 feet improbable , 1 to 2 human foot wideBloom time : Summer
aboriginal to North American prairies , Echinaceais known for its attractive flowers with cone - shaped center . Deer will seldom annoy this medicinal pollinator plant life due to its aroma and prickly cone . Read coneflower .
Color Coded ‘ The Fuchsia is brilliant ’ coneflowerfrom Proven Winners , pictured .
Decadence ‘ Sparkling Sapphires ’ baptisia . Photo by : Proven winner
FALSE INDIGO (Baptisiaspp.)
Exposure : Full sun to part shadeHabit : Upright circularise habitHeight / Spread:3 to 4 feet tall and wideBloom time : Late spring to early summer
sour anil produces towering spire of pea - like blossom in spring , with a shrubby habit and lob foliage that remains attractive through fall . Deer head off false indigo due to its potent odour and bitter predilection . Read false indigo .
Decadence ‘ Sparkling Sapphires ’ baptisiafrom Proven Winners , pictured .
‘ Cutting Edge ’ foamflower . photograph by : Proven Winners
FOAMFLOWER (Tiarellaspp.)
photograph : Partial sun to shadeHabit : Compact mound habitHeight / Spread:6 to 12 inch tall , 12 to 24 inches wideBloom time : Spring
This woodland perennial produces frothy white or pink flowers for in outflow with attractive patterned foliation that stays evergreen in milder climates . Deer will leave false mitrewort alone due to the astringent place of the foliage . instruct Tiarella cordifolia .
‘ Cutting Edge ’ foamflowerfrom Proven Winners , visualise .
photograph by : Janet Loughrey
GLOBE THISTLE (Echinopsspp.)
Exposure : Full sunHabit : vertical branching habitHeight / Spread:2 to 5 pes tall , 1 to 3 feet wideBloom metre : Summer
Spiky globe - shaped blue or silvery flowers and thistle - like foliage add together structure and height to the summertime margin . This hard easy - care perennial is avoided by deer due to the prickly texture of the heyday and leaves .
picture by : Max_555 / Shutterstock
HELLEBORE (Helleborusspp.)
Zones:4 - 9
photograph : Sun to part tad , count on speciesHabit : Compact , upright , or spread habitHeight / Spread:1 to 4 feet tall , 1 to 3 foot wideBloom time : Winter to spring
Hellebore is one of the good cervid - tolerant perennial flowers for the winter garden , with cupful - shaped bloom that occur in a all-embracing range of coloring and patterns . The leathery toothed leaf is distasteful to deer . understand hellebores .
LADY’S MANTLE (Alchemilla mollis)
picture : Full sun to part shadeHabit : Mounding spreading habitHeight / Spread:1 to 2 invertebrate foot marvellous and wideBloom time : Late give to early fall
Tolerant of a wide range of growing conditions , lady ’s cape is a cottage garden favorite grown for the attractive scallop - edged leaves and foamy clustering of soft yellow flower . Deer are likely deterred by the fuzzy texture of the foliage .
LAMB’S EAR (Stachys byzantina)
Exposure : Full sun to part shadeHabit : Mounding spreading habitHeight / Spread:6 to 18 inches tall , 12 to 36 inches wideBloom time : Late spring to other summer
Native to the Mediterranean region , this tough , drought - tolerant perennial has velvety silver leaves that resemble lamb ’s ear . Deer find the gentle , wooly texture of the leaf to be repellent . understand lamb ’s capitulum plants .
Sweet Romance lavender . photograph by : Proven Winners
LAVENDER (Lavandulaspp.)
Zones:5 - 9
pic : Full sunHabit : Upright habitHeight / Spread:1 to 4 base marvelous , 1 to 5 feet wideBloom time : Late leaping to other fall
This pop herbaceous plant is grown for its attractive bloom spike , redolent foliage , and wide cooking stove of culinary , medicinal and ornamental uses . Deer are discourage by lavender ’s nipping scent and taste . Read lavender .
Sweet Romance lavenderfrom Proven Winners , pictured .
‘ Bottle Rocket ’ genus Ligularia . Photo by : Proven Winners
LEOPARD PLANT (Ligulariaspp.)
photo : Full sun to shade ; flowers best with some lineal sunHabit : vertical spreading habitHeight / Spread:2 to 4 feet tall , 1 to 4 feet wideBloom time : summertime to early fall
Large rounded or palmate foliation is topped by tall xanthous peak capitulum in summertime . This moisture lover can be grown in a spectre garden or near a pool or stream . Leopard plant is by and large deer resistant unless other food germ are scarce .
‘ Bottle Rocket ’ ligulariafrom Proven Winners , project .
‘ Spot On ’ lungwort . Photo by : Proven Winners
LUNGWORT (Pulmonariaspp.)
Exposure : Partial subtlety to shadeHabit : mound unfold habitHeight / Spread:6 to 12 in marvellous , 12 to 24 inch wideBloom metre : too soon to mid - spring
One of the earliest perennial to bloom , lungwort is a woodland repeated with colorful chime - determine flowers that come forth along with the patterned or pick out green foliage . Deer are discourage by the fine hirsute texture of the leaves that can irritate their mouth and digestive tract . record lungwort .
‘ pip On ’ lungwortfrom Proven Winners , pictured .
‘ Hello lily-livered ’ milkweed . Photo by : Proven winner
MILKWEED (Asclepiasspp.)
Exposure : Full sunHabit : Upright habitHeight / Spread:1 to 6 foot tall , 1 to 3 feet wideBloom time : Summer
Milkweed is a prairie indigen that corroborate a wide-eyed range of mountains of pollinating insects . Clusters of tiny sensation - form flowers are observe by large showy seed pods . The steamy milky saphead in the stems and leave is unsavory and gently toxic to deer . Read milkweed .
‘ Hello scandalmongering ’ milkweedfrom Proven Winners , pictured .
picture by : carbon mcarter / Shutterstock
ORIENTAL POPPY (Papaver orientale)
Zones:3 - 8
vulnerability : Full sunHabit : vertical go around habitHeight / Spread:1 to 3 feet marvelous , 1 to 2 foot wideBloom prison term : Late spring to early summertime
splashy papery blooms hap above spiky thistle - like foliage , with flower color of orange , reddish , pink , apricot , lily-white , and purpleness . Deer will cast out oriental poppy due to its toxicity . Read Oriental poppy .
PEONY (Paeoniaspp.)
Zones:2 - 8
pic : Full sun to part shadeHabit : Upright habitHeight / Spread:1 to 7 feet tall , 1 to 5 foot wideBloom time : Spring
A basic of leaping border , peony is a perennial flower revered for the showy flower in a wide range of colour and shape . cervid dislike the hard bouquet of the prime and the appreciation of the sap in the theme . translate peony .
' Paint the Town Magenta ' genus Dianthus . Photo by : Proven victor
PINKS (Dianthusspp.)
Exposure : Full sun to part shadeHabit : vertical mounding or ground cover habitHeight / Spread:4 to 36 inches tall , 4 to 24 column inch wideBloom time : fountain to pass , depending on the variety show
This reliable long - bloom perennial is particularly popular for cottage - style garden . Frilly clove - scented flower occur in almost every color , from white to nearly fateful . Pinks are rarely put out by deer due to the fragrance , acerb taste , and perniciousness , which can cause digestive issue . Read pink .
‘ Paint the Town Magenta ’ dianthusfrom Proven Winners , depict .
Pyromania ® ' Rocket ’s Red Glare ' kniphofia . Photo by : Proven Winners
RED HOT POKER (Kniphofiaspp.)
vulnerability : Full sunHabit : Upright clumping habitHeight / Spread:2 to 6 feet improbable , 1 to 3 foot wideBloom time : other summer to fall , depending on the miscellanea
perpendicular flower spike in bright hues of red , orange , icteric , chartreuse , or cream sum drama and tropical flair to the summertime mete . Deer will avoid red hot salamander plant due to the sharp edges of the grass - corresponding foliage . Read red spicy salamander plants .
Pyromania ® ' Rocket ’s Red Glare ' kniphofiafrom Proven Winners , pictured .
‘ Denim ‘ n Lace ’ Russian sage . Photo by : Proven Winners
RUSSIAN SAGE (Perovskia atriplicifolia)
Exposure : Full sunHabit : vertical open habitHeight / Spread:2 to 4 metrical foot tall and wideBloom time : other summer to fall
Russian sage is an undemanding herbaceous perennial with silvery foliage and fertile capitulum of dreamy lilac-colored - blue flowers . cervid dislike the pungent sage - like olfactory property of the foliage . Read Russian sage .
‘ Denim ‘ n Lace ’ Russian sagefrom Proven Winners , image .
Rockin ® Fuchsia salvia . pic by : Proven succeeder
SALVIA (Salviaspp.)
Zones:4 - 12 , depending on the variety
picture : Full sun to partial shade , reckon on the speciesHabit : Upright fan out habitHeight / Spread:1 to 5 feet tall , 1 to 6 animal foot wideBloom time : former winter to strike , depending on the miscellany
This carefree warmth - loving perennial issue forth in a wide range of sizes , flower colors , and contour . A appendage of the mint family , salvia is avoided by cervid due to the pungent leaf . Read salvia plants .
Rockin ® Fuchsia salviafrom Proven Winners , pictured .
‘ Jack Frost ’ heartleaf brunnera . photograph by : Proven succeeder
SIBERIAN BUGLOSS (Brunneraspp.)
picture : Full sun to part shadeHabit : vertical overspread habitHeight / Spread:1 to 2 feet tall , 2 to 3 feet wideBloom time : springiness
This delicious spring foul-up is characterise by clustering of tiny blue-blooded flowers that resemble bury - me - nots and center - shaped foliage . Deer dislike Siberian alkanet because of the rough , hirsute texture of the leaves . Read brunnera plant .
‘ Jack Frost ’ Asarum virginicum brunnerafrom Proven Winners , fancy .
Magic Show ® ‘ Purple Illusion ’ spike speedwell . Photo by : Proven succeeder
SPEEDWELL (Veronicaspp.)
Zones:3 - 9 , count on variety
Exposure : Full sun to part shadeHabit : Upright or creeping habitHeight / Spread:3 to 48 inch marvelous , 8 to 24 in wideBloom time : Lates saltation to shine , depending on the miscellanea
Speedwell is a versatile ground cover or upright repeated with flower clusters or grandiloquent spires in a range of color . cervid are dissuade by the leaf grain and spiky flowers . Read speedwell .
Magic Show ® ‘ Purple Illusion ’ spike speedwellfrom Proven Winners , pictured .
Rock ' N Low ™ ' Boogie Woogie ' ground cover sedum . picture by : Proven Winners
SEDUM (Sedumspp.)
Exposure : Full sunHabit : vertical , mounding , or creeping habitHeight / Spread:3 to 36 in improbable , 12 to 24 inches wideBloom sentence : Summer to fall
Sedum is a succulent perennial that adds late time of year people of color , texture , and structure to beds , borders , and containers . cervid are warn by the chummy , fleshy leaves and bitter mouthful . learn sedum industrial plant .
Rock ' N Low ™ ' Boogie Woogie ' ground cover sedumfrom Proven Winners , picture .
Prairie Winds ® ' Apache Rose ' switchgrass . Photo by : Proven Winners
SWITCH GRASS (Panicum virgatum)
Exposure : Full Dominicus to part shadeHabit : Upright arching or vase - shaped habitHeight / Spread:3 to 8 foot marvellous , 1 - 1/2 to 5 feet wideBloom time : Mid to previous summertime
This aboriginal warm - season ornamental grass is grown for the cloud - like flower plumes and dark foliage that add texture and movement to bed and border . Deer dislike switch pasture because of the sharp border of the steel - same leaves . Read electric switch grass .
‘ Jethro Tull ’ tick-weed . Photo by : Proven Winners
TICKSEED (Coreopsisspp.)
photo : Full sunHabit : Upright mounding habitHeight / Spread:1 to 4 foot improbable , 1 to 3 ft wideBloom time : Late saltation to fall , depending on the sort
Known as tickseed , the cheerful disc - form flowers of this native plant come in an raiment of color and pattern . While tick-weed is mostly deer resistant , plant may be susceptible to some cervid browse if other food sources are scarce . Read coneflower .
‘ Firefly Sunshine ’ yarrow . Photo by : Proven Winners
YARROW (Achilleaspp.)
Zones:3 - 11
Exposure : Full sunHabit : Upright spreading habitHeight / Spread:1 to 4 feet tall , 2 to 3 feet wideBloom time : summertime
Yarrow is a live summertime - blooming perennial qualify by ferny foliage and directly - topped clustering of flower that are attractive to insect pollinator . The pungent odour of the leaves is disliked by cervid . Read yarrow .
‘ Firefly Sunshine ’ yarrowfrom Proven Winners , pictured .
