Deer resistant plants – 16 best shrubs, perennials and annuals

If deer are prevalent in your area, then deer resistant plants are an essential addition to your garden.

While deer are shy animals, when hungry they will often stray into gardens and eat prized plants – putting a huge dent in your backyard.

‘One thing to keep in mind is that if the deer are hungry, they will eat just about anything. So even though a plant may be considered deer resistant, it may still be targeted,’ says Jo Ellen Meyers-Sharp, gardening coach and creator of Hoosiergardener, and a member of the National Garden Bureau.

This makes it important to also consider how hardy your plants are, and whether they will easily recover from a deer munching session.

‘Gardeners don’t spend money on their plants to have them be a salad bar for deer, so many gardeners use repellents to keep deer away.’

While you can’t create a 100 per cent deer-proof garden, there is a wide voice of deer resistant plants available to help deter them and minimize any damage. 

Whether you are looking for evergreen shrubs to serve as the backbone of your garden scheme, or annuals to fill in gaps in pots and borders, there are some wonderful deer resistant plants to choose from.

We asked the experts for their top picks. 

BY MELANIE GRIFFITHS