Transforming your home’s exterior into a captivating sanctuary requires strategic planning, especially when it comes to safeguarding your landscape or vegetable garden from deer damage. These graceful yet voracious creatures can wreak havoc on meticulously curated gardens.
Deer-resistant plants are an elegant solution. By opting for types of plants deer won’t eat, you can create a stunning and thriving landscape that remains untouched.
Understanding Deer Behavior
While deer may seem indiscriminate in their browsing habits, they’re actually selective eaters, often guided by their sense of smell, taste, and texture. Understanding their preferences is key to cultivating a garden that appeals to you, not them.
Their sense of smell is a powerful tool that leads them to their favorite foods. Deer also prefer certain textures. So, they often gravitate towards tender, easily accessible plants with appealing scents, leaving those with a bitter taste or prickly texture untouched.
Seasonal Shifts in Deer Preferences
- Spring: After a long winter, deer are ravenous and focused on finding the most tender, nutrient-rich young plants. Early-budding plants like tulips, crocuses, and tender shoots of hostas or daylilies become prime targets as they emerge. In late spring, as more plants come into bloom, deer may expand their diet to include newly opened flowers, lush foliage, and young shoots. By this time, they often target ornamental plants like hydrangeas and roses, which may not have been available earlier.
- Summer: Deer prefer softer, high-moisture plants in early summer, such as annuals, perennials, and vegetables. Plants that haven’t fully matured are particularly at risk. As temperatures rise in the late summer, plants toughen. Deer may turn to less tender foliage or explore different areas of the garden, including shrubs and trees, as other food sources become scarce.
- Fall: Deer forage on acorns, berries, and fruits, in the early fall, balancing their diet with high-energy foods. Garden favorites like apples, pumpkins, and squash are at greater risk during this time. As natural food sources dwindle in late fall, deer may start targeting woody plants, shrubs, and evergreen foliage to build up energy for the winter.
- Winter: When the first frost of early winter hits and snow is light, deer target lingering greenery, like evergreen shrubs or late-season perennials. But in late winter, snow deepens and food becomes even scarcer. At this time of year, hungry deer turn to anything they can find, including bark, twigs, and hardy ornamental plants that they usually avoid.
Landscape Design Ideas for Keeping Deer Out of Your Garden
Try any of these effective strategies to protect your landscape from deer while maintaining an elegant outdoor aesthetic.
Pair “Deer Candy” Plants with Thorny Defenses
Deer love plants like hostas and tulips, but mixing them with thorny options like barberry or holly can deter browsing. The spiky plants create a natural barrier, making it harder for deer to access their favorites.
Apply Safe, Effective Deer Repellents
Natural sprays with garlic, eggs, or capsaicin can make plants unappealing to deer. Scram, a granulated repellent made from dried blood, garlic, and essential oils, triggers a deer’s fear response, keeping them away while remaining safe for pets and wildlife.
Install Physical Barriers
A fence at least 8 feet tall is the best way to keep deer out, but if a full enclosure isn’t possible, shorter fences around key plants or double-layered fencing can also be effective because deer find it challenging to navigate.
Use Strategic Planting Locations
Placing deer-favored plants near patios, decks, or barns—where human and pet scents linger—can make deer less comfortable. Raised beds or terraced gardens can also create natural obstacles that discourage them.
Characteristics of Plants Deer Won’t Eat
Deer-resistant plants possess qualities that make them unattractive to these four-legged foragers. Often, these characteristics manifest as strong scents, fuzzy textures, or bitter tastes.
Think of it as nature’s ingenious defense mechanism, allowing plants to thrive undisturbed in areas where deer roam freely. This makes them ideal additions to elegant gardens.
Aromatic Foliage
Plants endowed with aromatic foliage have a strong scent that is a natural defense against deer browsing. This creates an invisible shield of deterrence. Lavender, with its intoxicating fragrance, is a prime example. Its calming aroma, while pleasing to humans, sends a strong message of disapproval to deer, effectively discouraging them from approaching.
Similarly, sage, renowned for its culinary and medicinal uses, releases a pungent aroma that deer find particularly offensive. This characteristic pungentness, present in various sage varieties, acts as a natural repellent, protecting these plants from becoming a deer’s next meal.
By incorporating strongly scented plants strategically throughout your garden, you establish an environment that’s less appealing to deer, safeguarding your treasured blooms and foliage.
Texture and Taste: What Deer Dislike
Beyond aroma, texture, and taste play a significant role in a deer’s plant preferences. Plants with fuzzy leaves, like lamb’s ear, feel unpleasant in a deer’s mouth, deterring them from taking a second bite.
While visually appealing, the intricate fronds of a fern have a slightly bitter taste, making them unappetizing to a deer’s palate.
Moreover, some plants deer won’t eat possess a naturally bitter taste they instinctively avoid. By selecting plants with these less-favored textures and tastes, you can create a visually stunning landscape and naturally resistant to deer browsing.
Top Deer-Resistant Plants
Cultivating an upscale landscape that’s both visually captivating and impervious to deer damage is achievable with the right selection of plants. By incorporating a diverse range of deer-resistant varieties, you can create a visually stunning and resilient garden that thrives throughout the seasons.
From vibrant flowers to striking shrubs with unique forms, plenty of deer-resistant plants thrive in the Finger Lakes region and can elevate your landscape, creating beauty, sophistication, and interest in form, color, and structure.
Flowers That Bring Beauty Without Attracting Deer
Flowers add vibrant color and texture to your garden, and when you select deer-resistant varieties, you can enjoy stunning blooms without worrying about them becoming a snack for deer. Below are some of our favorite flowering plants that deer tend to avoid in the Finger Lakes area.
- Amsonia – Known for its delicate blue flowers in late spring to early summer, amsonia offers beautiful color and striking fall foliage in shades of yellow and gold. At the same time, rough, slightly aromatic foliage deters deer.
- Astilbe – Astilbe blooms in mid to late summer, with feathery flower plumes in shades of white, pink, red, or purple. Its dense, aromatic foliage and slightly bitter taste make it unattractive to deer.
- Foxglove – Foxglove, blooming from late spring to early summer, features tall spikes of tubular flowers in various colors, including pink, purple, yellow, and white. Its toxicity and strong fragrance deter deer from browsing.
- Hibiscus – Known for its large, showy blooms in late summer to early fall, hibiscus offers flowers in a wide range of colors, including red, pink, white, and orange. Its coarse leaves and slightly bitter taste make it a deer-resistant favorite.
- Peony – Peonies bloom in late spring to early summer with fragrant, large flowers in colors ranging from soft pastels to vibrant reds and pinks. Their tough, leathery foliage and deer-resistant qualities ensure they remain undisturbed throughout the growing season.
Perennials That Keep Deer at Bay
Perennials are an excellent choice for creating a beautiful, low-maintenance garden that can thrive year-round. When selecting deer-resistant varieties, you can enjoy vibrant blooms and foliage without worrying about hungry herbivores damaging your plants. Below are some of our favorite perennials that deer typically avoid in the Finger Lakes area.
- Allium – Some of the showiest, globe-like blooms also have a strong onion-like scent, making it a great choice to help keep deer away.
- Bleeding Heart – The delicate, heart-shaped blooms may look fragile, but they are surprisingly resistant to deer browsing.
- Brunnera – With striking, heart-shaped foliage, Brunnera has slightly hairy and rough-textured foliage which deer tend to avoid.
- Catmint – The fragrant, lavender blooms of catmint attract pollinators while deterring deer, thanks to its strong scent and fuzzy foliage.
- Hellebore – One of the earliest bloomers in spring, hellebore’s leathery leaves and toxic compounds make it naturally resistant to deer browsing.
Groundcovers for Seamless Elegance
Groundcovers add a lush, cohesive look to your landscape and help control weeds, prevent erosion, and provide a soft, uniform carpet of greenery. When choosing deer-resistant groundcovers, you can enjoy the beauty and benefits of low-maintenance plants that won’t be disturbed by deer browsing. Below are some of our top picks for deer-resistant groundcovers in the Ithaca and Skaneateles areas.
- Geranium – With its vibrant blooms and aromatic foliage, geranium is a resilient groundcover that deer tend to avoid, adding color and texture to your garden.
- Pachysandra – Known for its glossy, evergreen leaves and dense growth habit, pachysandra creates a smooth, low-maintenance groundcover that deer find unappealing.
- Vinca – The trailing vines of vinca, with their striking periwinkle flowers and leathery leaves, provide year-round coverage and are resistant to deer browsing.
Essential Shrubs for Privacy and Style
Shrubs are a vital landscape component, offering structure, privacy, and a sense of permanence. Shrubs can create a secluded, sophisticated atmosphere while deterring deer and other wildlife. Strategic shrub plantings provide year-round beauty and act as natural barriers, perfect for enhancing privacy without sacrificing style. Below are some of our favorite deer-resistant shrubs that can elevate your garden’s design in the Finger Lakes area.
- Beautyberry – Known for its vibrant purple berries in late summer to fall, beautyberry’s coarse leaves and pungent scent make it a great choice for deterring deer.
- Itea – Known for its fragrant white flowers and bright fall color, Itea’s leathery leaves are unappealing to deer. The shrub’s dense, compact growth habit also discourages deer from browsing.
- St. John’s Wort – The bright yellow flowers of St. John’s Wort create a visually striking display, while deer generally avoid it due to its strong, aromatic scent and leathery leaves.
- Stepanandra – Making an excellent choice for a privacy screen, the Stepanandra’s soft, slightly fragrant foliage and sparse flowers are not typically attractive to deer.
- Spirea – A dense, compact form, makes it perfect for privacy hedges or borders, Spirea is naturally deer-resistant due to its strong, aromatic leaves, and woody stems.
Designing a Deer-Resistant Landscape
Designing a deer-resistant landscape involves more than simply choosing the right plants; it requires a strategic approach that considers factors like sunlight, soil type, and overall aesthetics. Start by assessing your garden’s conditions, noting areas with full sun, partial shade, and varying levels of moisture.
Incorporate a mix of deer-resistant plants with varying heights, textures, and bloom times to create visual interest. Ornamental grasses, for example, add movement and texture to the landscape while deterring deer with their fibrous foliage. By blending these elements thoughtfully, you can create a cohesive and visually stunning landscape that both you and your deer neighbors can appreciate.
Seasonal Strategies for Deer Resistance
While choosing deer-resistant plants significantly reduces the likelihood of damage, implementing seasonal strategies provides an extra layer of protection, particularly during vulnerable periods. In early spring, when deer are hungry after a long winter, consider using deer repellent sprays or granules to deter browsing on newly emerging growth.
Protecting vulnerable plants with physical barriers, such as mesh fencing, is particularly important during late winter and early spring, when deer actively seek food sources. Mesh fencing has been a healthier solution for protecting plants, as wrapping in burlap tends to trap heat/moisture that can potentially harm the plants.
Maintaining a tidy garden by removing fallen fruit, debris, and excessive mulch eliminates potential attractants and encourages a healthier, more resilient landscape that’s less appealing to deer.
Conclusion
Creating a deer-resistant landscape is practical and beautiful. By selecting plants that deer won’t eat while enhancing the elegance of your garden, you can maintain a stylish outdoor space without sacrificing functionality.
The professional gardeners at Poplar Point Studio understands deer behavior and which deer-resistant plants would be perfect for your landscape. Contact us to learn how we can create a stunning (and deer-proof) landscape for your Finger Lakes home. We provide expert garden maintenance, landscape enhancements, and seasonal annual flower container gardening services to keep your outdoor space thriving and looking its best year-round.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which plants are most effective for deterring deer?
Deer-resistant plants with a strong scent like thyme, lavender, and marigolds are effective deterrents. Their pungent aroma naturally repels deer, making them less likely to browse.
Can proximity to non-desirable plants help deter deer from more desirable ones?
Yes, planting more desirable plants next to thorny plants can help keep the deer from eating your more desirable plants.
Will they still eat deer resistant plants?
Potentially, no plant is completely deer proof. But selecting diverse cultivars known for their strong flavors, scents, or textures helps minimize their adaptability to deer-resistant plants.
What seasonal practices can improve my garden’s resilience?
Seasonal strategies, such as applying deer repellent in early fall and midsummer when deer are actively foraging, pruning damaged branches, and providing adequate irrigation, enhance your garden’s resilience.
What smells do deer hate the most?
Deer are repelled by strong scents like mint, lavender, and garlic. These plants emit odors deer find offensive, deterring them from feasting on your garden. Planting these deer-resistant options can help protect your plants from becoming snacks.
