What plants keep deer out of the garden?
Deer tend to be put off by fuzzy, coarse or “fern-like” foliage, and leaves or stems with strong odors or spines. Some plants less attractive to deer are lamb’s ears, hellebores, ornamental grasses, ferns, catmint, Russian sage, lavender and snakeroot. Plants that are soft to the touch with high water content (like hostas) are favorites, as well as buds and rhododendrons. Deer don’t seem to like plants with coarse, bristly, fuzzy, or spiny textures, nor do they enjoy those with intense aromas. That said, if hungry enough, deer will eat anything.