Deer Eating Your Yard Plants? Here Are Deer-Resistant Landscaping Ideas That Work

If you live in the Lehigh Valley, you’ve probably experienced it: you plant beautiful flowers or shrubs, only to wake up and find them chewed down overnight. Deer are common throughout Pennsylvania, and while they’re impressive to watch, they can be incredibly destructive to home landscapes.

The good news? You don’t have to give up on having a beautiful yard. With smart plant choices and thoughtful landscape design, you can significantly reduce deer damage while still enjoying a vibrant, healthy landscape.

Why Deer Are Attracted to Your Yard

Deer are opportunistic feeders. Residential landscapes often provide:

• Easy access to tender plants

• Fewer predators

• A wide variety of food sources

Young shoots, soft leaves, and flowering plants are especially appealing. During fall and winter, when natural food is scarce, deer become even more aggressive in browsing.

Choose Deer-Resistant Plants

No plant is 100% deer-proof, but many are far less appealing due to texture, scent, or taste. Incorporating these into your landscape can make a big difference.

Deer-Resistant Perennials

• Lavender

• Russian sage

• Black-eyed Susan

• Yarrow

• Coneflower

Deer-Resistant Shrubs

• Boxwood

• Barberry

• Spirea

• Inkberry holly

• Butterfly bush

Deer-Resistant Trees

• Dogwood

• Red maple

• River birch

• Japanese maple

These plants not only deter deer but also perform well in Pennsylvania’s climate.

Use Texture and Scent to Your Advantage

Deer tend to avoid:

• Strong fragrances (lavender, sage, mint)

• Fuzzy or prickly leaves

• Bitter or toxic plants

Strategically placing aromatic plants near garden edges or mixing them throughout planting beds can help discourage browsing.

Smart Landscape Design Matters

Plant selection is only part of the solution. How your landscape is designed can also reduce deer damage.

• Layer plantings: Place deer-resistant plants around more vulnerable ones

• Avoid straight feeding paths: Deer prefer easy access and clear sightlines

• Use hardscaping: Patios, retaining walls, walkways, and decorative stone reduce planting areas and create natural deterrents

Hardscape features not only enhance your yard’s appearance but also make it less inviting to deer.

Consider Physical Barriers (Without Ruining Your View)

Traditional fencing works, but many homeowners want more subtle options:

• Decorative garden fencing

• Raised planters

• Dense hedges with thorny plants

These solutions provide protection while maintaining curb appeal.

Maintenance Is Key

Deer are creatures of habit. Keeping your landscape well-maintained helps:

• Reduce tender new growth deer love

• Improve plant health and resilience

• Catch damage early before it spreads

Seasonal pruning, mulching, and professional care go a long way toward keeping your landscape strong.

Let the Experts Help You Design a Deer-Resistant Landscape

Deer pressure in the Lehigh Valley varies by neighborhood, property size, and surrounding land. A professional landscape design tailored to your property can save time, money, and frustration.

Hursh’s Landscaping has decades of experience creating beautiful, functional landscapes that thrive in local conditions — even with deer nearby. From plant selection to hardscaping and long-term maintenance, we design outdoor spaces that work with nature, not against it.