Elmer Fudd wasn't the only person frustrated with wabbits. Deer and rabbits can put a quick end to an expensive new shrub, nip off dozens of annuals, and prune perennials to the ground. While there are many deer repellents, deer-defying gadgets, and even deer fencing (the only truly effective remedy), it can be a hassle, and many don't phase a rabbit much. 

Plants labeled deer or rabbit-resistant often have a strong scent, like culinary rosemary, a bad taste, like swamp milkweed, or an unpleasant texture, like spruces. While nothing is deer-proof when they're hard up, deer and rabbits will pass up these less favored foods if other options are available. 

Deer and rabbits both eat our plants, but the damage they do is a little different. With their super sharp incisors, rabbits leave a much cleaner nipped stem or twig like it was cut with pruning shears. Deer will leave a more ragged edge as if they tore it off (precisely what they did). Little bits of ripped bark, stripped stem pieces, and damage higher than a rabbit can reach are all signs of deer browsing. While a rabbit will terrorize younger plantings, established perennials and taller plants don't have as much to fear from rabbits. 

Deer and Rabbit Resistant Perennials

While there are always a few deer-delectable plants we'd love to grow–nearly everything in a veggie garden, for example–you might be surprised at the wide variety of deer and rabbit-resistant options out there. 

Peonies

Peonies are a perfect selection if you are looking for early summer blooms but have deer issues. Plant peonies in fall and they'll pop up in spring and be ignored by both deer and rabbits. I can attest that deer walk right by them–I watch them do it almost daily. 

Peonies are hardy in most of the US, including the cold northern states, and can last for decades and need little attention other than a fall cleanup.

Foxglove

Foxgloves continue to be a gardener's favorite because of their tall spikes loaded with colorful flowers. This old-time flower has been grown beside buildings and fences for years, and its bell-shaped blooms are a favorite of pollinators. 

Most varieties are biennials or short-lived perennials and are hardy down to USDA zone 4. They will self-seed in good conditions and can spread that way.  

Astilbe

These clump-forming perennials bloom in multiple shades of white, pink, purple, and fire-truck red. Varieties range from low, foot-tall plants to giant 5-foot spikes of color. Their feathery plumes look fragile, but these hardy plants grow well in partial shade and are hardy to USDA zone 4. 

Buy astilbes in spring from the nursery, as they can be hard to start from seed. After they're established, they can be divided to get more plants, as can many of the perennials in this list. 

Yarrow

With lacy, frond-like foliage, yarrow is a cut-and-come-again native to many areas of the US. The native plant blooms white or cream-colored, but cultivars are available in yellow, purple, pink, and red and are just as loved by pollinators. 

Yarrow is hardy in USDA zones 3-9 and will gently spread out, creating a tall, long-lasting, colorful display. Rabbits won’t really touch it.

Mints

Spearmint, peppermint, and even cultivars like mojito, chocolate, and orange mint are all strong enough-flavored to be ignored by furry garden nibblers. Many varieties are cold-hardy as chilly as USDA zone 3, and they'll do equally well in full sun or partial shade. They make a fun addition to cut flower bouquets too.

Plants in the mint family have a well-earned reputation as spreaders and, left unchecked, will crawl around your garden, popping up all over. They can be easily contained by cutting the rhizomes with a spade or planting them in a pot in the ground so they can’t escape.

Kitchen Herbs

Many of our favorite kitchen herbs, such as rosemary, sage, thyme, and basil, are ignored by deer and rabbits. Their strong flavor and aroma–the reason we love cooking with them–make them unattractive to garden varmints. 

Depending on your climate, rosemary may or may not be a perennial. It’s hardy in USDA zone 7 and warmer. Thyme is a bit hardier, and some sages will survive zone 4 winters. An outdoor herb garden is a great way to add some home-grown herbs to your recipes. It is fairly pest-free and low-maintenance.

Deer and Rabbit Resistant Shrubs

Juniper

These tough shrubs are unpalatable to deer and rabbits, although there may be a bit of bark chewing on younger plants. From low-growing groundcovers to tall and narrow shrubs reaching 10-15 feet, junipers are loved for their ability to hide foundations, cover hillsides, and provide privacy year-round. They're hardy in USDA zones 3-9, and their dense foliage is an excellent cover for nesting songbirds. 

Holly

While we may think of holly as a holiday decoration, they are wonderful evergreen shrubs that are highly resistant to browsing due to their tough, pointy, leathery foliage. Hollies are slower growing and can easily be pruned to maintain a manageable shape and size. You’ll need a male and female plant to get beautiful red berries in autumn, and most nurseries will identify their hollies as such for you. 

Dwarf spruces

Grab a spruce branch with your bare hands, and you’ll understand why deer leave them alone. Their needles are extremely sharp and stiff, making (I assume) an unpleasant eating experience. Many dwarf spruce varieties are available and can be a great way to anchor the end of a perennial bed or flank a walkway or driveway. 

Dwarf spruces often grow slowly, so if you want faster results, you’ll need to spend money on larger potted plants. Once established, dwarf spruces require little from us unless you wish to prune them lightly for shape.

Annuals Deer and Rabbits Leave Alone

While perennials are perfect for low-maintenance gardening, sometimes we need some quick, flower-this-year results. Try these flowers to have color and add variety without worrying (too much) about those pesky deer and rabbits.

Snapdragons

Not many annuals are ignored by rabbits. While snapdragons are actually tender perennials, we all grow them as annuals. Once they are past the seedling stage, they’re quite rabbit and deer resistant, and provide a long window of colorful blooms. Snapdragons are frost tolerant, can be set out earlier than many other flowers, and can be succession planted for bright flower spikes from spring through to fall. 

Marigolds, 

Marigolds have a reputation as companion plants to repel pests, including rabbits and deer. Their deer repelling tendency isn’t backed by much hard data–although some gardeners swear by it–however, it's quite observable that rabbits and deer won’t nibble a marigold. Even a starving deer will find something else to eat. 

Many sizes and varieties are available in the warm orange, yellow and burgundy colors associated with autumn. However, these flowers will bloom all through the summer until the frost. Try African marigolds for a tall, dense hedge of greenery and huge blooms, or French marigolds for a more traditional bedding plant. 

Strawflowers

While technically a tender perennial in frost-free zones, most of us grow strawflowers as annuals. They easy to start from seed, and grow to be 3-4 feet tall flowers covered in multiple crispy, colorful blooms. Grab one in your hand, and you'll immediately notice the unique texture of a strawflower. They like full sun and tolerate rocky or sandy soil. 

Strawflowers are tolerant of dry spells, and will keep blooming if kept deadheaded. Use them as a substitute for sunflowers, which are definitely not deer proof when younger.