Deer can turn your dream garden into a snack bar overnight, but at Boyert’s Greenhouse and Farm, we’ve got your back. Our expertly curated list of deer-resistant garden plants is your ticket to a thriving, deer-proof landscape. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting out, this guide will help you choose the right perennials to keep those hungry visitors at bay. Ready to outsmart the deer and elevate your garden? Let’s dive in!
Why Deer Avoid Some Plants
Deer can be charming—until they’re munching on your hard work. While they have preferences, certain plant traits, like strong fragrances (sweet or pungent) and fuzzy or hairy stems and leaves, tend to send them sniffing elsewhere. That said, deer aren’t always picky eaters. Harsh winters with heavy snow, dense local populations, springtime hunger after a long winter, or the demands of nursing fawns can push them to browse just about anything in your yard. Understanding these habits is the first step to protecting your garden.
Your Deer-Resistant Garden Plants Guide
At Boyert’s, we’ve handpicked perennials deer typically avoid, ranked by their resistance: GOOD (rarely eaten), FAIR (occasionally nibbled), and POOR (frequently munched). Mixing plants from all levels can outsmart deer browsing habits. And if they still won’t take the hint? Repellents or fencing might be your next move. Visit us in-store for expert advice, or join one of our upcoming gardening workshops to learn more! We’re here to make your gardening a success—deer or no deer.
Boyert’s Official Deer-Resistant Garden Plants List
Below is our comprehensive list of deer-resistant garden plants, perfect for creating a stunning, low-maintenance garden. Stop by Boyert’s Greenhouse and Farm to pick up these beauties, or sign up for our mailing list to get seasonal planting tips delivered straight to your inbox!
GOOD: Rarely Eaten by Deer
These plants are deer-repellent superstars—ideal for worry-free gardening:
- Acanthus (Bear’s Breeches)
- Achillea (Yarrow)
- Aegopodium (Snow-on-the-Mountain)
- Agastache (Hyssop)
- Ajuga
- Alchemilla (Lady’s Mantle)
- Allium (Onions, Chives)
- Amsonia (Blue Star)
- Anemone
- Aquilegia (Columbine)
- Artemesia
- Asarum (Wild Ginger)
- Asclepias (Butterfly Weed/Milkweed)
- Baptisia (False Indigo)
- Bergenia
- Brunnera (Bugloss)
- Buddleia (Butterfly Bush)
- Carex (Sedge)
- Caryopteris (Blue Mist Shrub)
- Cerastium (Snow-in-Summer)
- Ceratostigma (Plumbago)
- Chelone (Turtle’s Head)
- Convallaria (Lily-of-the-Valley)
- Coreopsis (Tickseed)
- Crocosmia
- Delosperma (Ice Plant)
- Dicentra (Bleeding Heart)
- Digitalis (Foxglove)
- Echinacea (Coneflower)
- Echinops (Globe Thistle)
- Epimedium (Barrenwort)
- Eupatorium (Joe-Pye Weed)
- Euphorbia (Spurge)
- Ferns
- Galium (Sweet Woodruff)
- Grasses
- Helenium (Sneezeweed)
- Helleborous (Lenten Rose)
- Heuchera (Coral Bells)
- Heucherella (Foamy Bells)
- Iberis (Candytuft)
- Iris sp.
- Lamium
- Lavendula (Lavender)
- Leucanthemum (Daisy)
- Liatris (Gayfeather)
- Ligularia
- Lirope (Lilyturf)
- Lupinus (Lupine)
- Lychnis (Campion)
- Lythrum (Loosestrife)
- Mertinsia (Virginia Bluebells)
- Monarda (Bee Balm)
- Nepeta (Catmint)
- Oenothera (Evening Primrose)
- Pachysandra
- Paeonia (Peony)
- Papaver (Poppy)
- Perovskia (Russian Sage)
- Phlox sub. (Creeping Phlox)
- Plumbaginoides (Plumbago)
- Polemonium (Jacob’s Ladder)
- Pulmonaria (Lungwort)
- Rudbeckia (Black-eyed Susan)
- Salvia (Meadow Sage)
- Sempervivum (Hen & Chicks)
- Solidago (Goldenrod)
- Stachys (Lamb’s Ear)
- Thymus (Thyme)
- Tiarella (Foam Flower)
- Veronica (Speedwell)
- Vinca (Myrtle)
- Wisteria
Pro Tip: Combine these with fencing or repellents for maximum protection. Swing by Boyert’s for these plants and more!
FAIR: Occasionally Eaten by Deer
These plants offer moderate resistance—great as secondary defenses:
- Actaea-Cimicifuga (Bugbane)
- Alcea (Hollyhock) – FAIR/POOR (varies by conditions)
- Armeria (Sea Thrift)
- Aruncus (Goat’s Beard)
- Aster
- Astilbe
- Campanula (Bellflower)
- Centaurea (Bachelor’s Button)
- Chysanthemum
- Cimicifuga (Snakeroot, Bugbane)
- Clematis
- Delphinium
- Dianthus
- Eryngium (Sea Holly)
- Gallardia (Blanket Flower)
- Gaura (Wand Flower)
- Geranium (Cranesbill)
- Gypsophila (Baby’s Breath)
- Hedera (Ivy)
- Hemerocallis (Daylily)
- Hypericum (St. John’s Wort)
- Knifophia (Poker Plant)
- Lilium (Garden Lily)
- Lobelia (Cardinal Flower)
- Lysimachia (Creeping Jenny)
- Penstemon (Beardtongue)
- Phlox div. (Woodland Phlox)
- Phlox pan. (Garden Phlox)
- Physostegia (Obedient Plant)
- Platycodon (Balloon Flower)
- Primula (Primrose)
- Saponaria (Soapwort)
- Stokesia (Stokes Aster)
- Tradescantia (Spiderwort)
- Tricyrtis (Toadlily)
Want More Tips? Join our next gardening event at Boyert’s to learn how to layer these plants effectively.
Visit Boyert’s for Your Deer-Proof Garden
Ready to transform your yard into a deer-resistant oasis? Swing by Boyert’s Greenhouse and Farm to shop this list in person. Our friendly staff can help you pick the perfect plants and share insider tips to keep deer at bay.
Let’s keep your garden blooming—deer-free and fabulous!
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