Deer Say “Yuck”: Easy-To-Grow Deer Resistant Plants

By David Salman, Chief Horticulturist

As deer populations have been exploding in many parts of the country, especially in the eastern US, the damage they inflicting on gardens and lanscapes follows. Gardeners have a few different options to protect their landscapes - and for best results, use a combination of different techniques to gain the upper hand

3 Strategies To Deter Deer

1. The first and most effective way to protect your yard is to install fencing, but it needs to be at 7 to 8 ft tall to thwart the deer who can easily clear lower heights. (Special low-visibility fencing mesh helps to minimize its visual impact.)

2. Second is the use of a rotating menu of deer repellants. Spray deer repellent on new transplants and established plants that are vulnerable to browsing, especially during the fall, winter and early spring months.

3. A third and essential deterrent is choosing plants that are unpalatable to hungry deer. Using deer resistant plants as companion plants to more vulverable varieties is another strategy. Fortunately, we offer a wide variety of deer resistant plants, so you can plant a garden that's both beautiful and worry free.

Deer Resistant Aromatic Plants

There are many plants that deer don't favor when they're out looking for a meal. In general, plants with strongly aromatic foliage are not on the deer dessert list, since the aromatic oils contained in the plants are bitter and generally unpalatable.

These include:

• Lavender (Lavandula),
• Rosemary (Rosmarinus),
• Russian Sage (Perovskia),
• Sage (Salvia and Artemisia),
• Hyssop (Hyssopus) and
• Hummingbird Mints (Agastache) 

Companion Planting Turns Them Away

Companion planting of deer resistant plants with other non-resistant plants is also a good strategy. Deer smell the aromatic plants and leave the whole planting alone. Planting Lavender alongside and around roses or Clematis vines for example, is an effective and aesthetically pleasing strategy. Russian Sage (Perovskia) planted in among and on the outer edge of a xeric planting will keep the deer away as well.

Regional Preferences

It's also important to remember that the plants deer don't like to eat will vary somewhat from region to region. So I always recommend checking in with local Agricultural Extension offices and Master Gardener organizations to verify that the plants on your deer resistant "want list" are not being eaten in your area.

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