Damage Potential

• Before buying plants advertised as deer-resistant, assess the damage that's been done to your garden in the past. Chances are that, if you live in a busy urban area, deer damage won't be as severe as it is in more rural areas where deer populations and traffic are more extensive. Rutgers University has created a comprehensive list of plants rated for use in areas where deer are problematic. Choosing plants rarely or seldom severely damaged increases your chances of success -- as long as conditions remain favorable to lure deer to other sources of food. Like humans, deer have food preferences and will eat their favorites first, if possible. Deer also gravitate toward tender new green growth and unopened flower buds, as well as over-watered and overfed plants that are more succulent.
  
  

Deer-Resistant Shrubs

• While the woody stems of some shrubs aren't appealing to deer, they will eat the more tender green stems, leaves, flowers and berries. Among the least appealing species are arrowwood viburnum (Viburnum dentatum), barberry (Barberis sp.), bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica), blue mist shrub (Caryopteris clandonensis), bush cinquefoil (Potentilla fruticosa), butterfly bush (Buddleia sp.), common boxwood (Buxus sempervirens), daphne (Daphne sp.),drooping leucothoe (Leucothoe fontanesiana), fragrant sumac (Rhus aromatica), heather (Calliuna sp.), Japanese plum yew (Cephalotaxus harringtonia), John T. Morris holly (Iles x 'John T. Morris'), moonglow juniper (Juniperus scopulorum), red elderberry (Sambucus racemosa), gardenia (Gardenia jasminoisdes), oleander (Nerium oleander) and Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia).
  
  

Deer-Resistant Plants

• Unless deprived of other vegetation, deer will rarely touch perennials such as columbine (Aquilegia sp.), cast iron plant (Aspidistra elatior), coreopsis (Coreopsis sp.), purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), lenten rose (Helleborus orientalis), bee balm (Monarda didyma), Russian sage (Perovskia), lamb's ear (Stachys byzantina), and prickly pear (Opuntia sp.). Deer are also not overly fond of annuals such as the pungent marigold (Tagetes sp.), polka dot plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya), cleome (Cleome hassleriana), begonia (Begonia semperflorens), ageratum (Ageratum houstonianum), vinca (Catharanthus roseus), petunia (Petunia sp.) and zinnia (Zinnia sp.)
  
  

Considerations

• Deer also generally avoid most herbs due to their intense aromas, and are not particularly attracted to ferns or ornamental grasses, making these species ideal for the deer-proof garden. Common kitchen herbs such as thyme (Thymus sp.), chives (Allium schoenoprasum) and sage (Salvia officianalis) can also be an effective deterrent when planted among other plants that are more appealing to deer. Autumn fern (Drypteris erythrosora) and cinnamon fern (Osmunda cinnamomea) are useful for filling in shady spots, and grasses such as pampas grass (Cortaderia selloeana) provide a low-maintenance contrast to other deer-resistant shrubs and plants.