Shop For Deer Resistant Plants

Victoria Gardens is located in Rosendale, NY on the corner of Rt 213 and Cottekill Road. We are a fully stocked plant nursery, garden center, and garden gift shop.

At Victoria Gardens you will find a selection of trees, shrubs, and perennials that are chosen specifically for our area and for our customers most frequently voiced problems: deer, dry soil, wet spots, and shady areas. Our knowledgeable staff will help you find the perfect combinations, so you only have to plant once!

Recommended Full Sun Deer Resistant Plants

Ornamental Chives (Allium sp.) - 6-12” tall, zones 4-9, full sun. Globe-shaped
flowers fascinate me for their gravity-defying structure. Even though these
Alliums are all under a foot tall, they will catch your eye accenting shrubs or
borders. Foliage has enough onion smell to keep those deer at bay.

Silver Mound (Artemisia schmidtiana) - 10-12" tall, 18" wide, zones 5-8, full sun. Spreads to form a silvery carpet of deeply toothed, almost silky leaves. Adds a unique texture to your garden while providing a great backdrop for your
brighter blooms. Very hardy.

Butterfly Weed (Asclepias) - 2-4’ tall, zones 5-9, full sun. Displays its flowers
over a long period and has seeds that show off by puffing up like cotton and
floating through the air on cool autumn days. Butterfly larvae sometimes feed
on the leaves, returning as butterflies to enjoy the flower nectar. Asclepias
emerges late in the spring (remember where you plant them and take care not
to damage them before they sprout). It prefers a well drained soil and is
tolerant of drought.

Butterfly Bush (Buddleia Davidii) - 4-6’ tall, zones 5-9, full sun. Large colorful
trusses of fragrant flowers attract butterflies. Buddleia is a shrub but in coldwinter zones, treat it like a perennial. Prune back to live wood in spring (often nearly to the ground). Great choice for quick height this season.

Boxwood (Buxus sp.) - 2-3' tall, zones 4-8, full sun, partial shade and/or full
shade. Here's a deer-country dream come true! The woodsy, natural form looks great as a rounded contrast in a natural setting or as a formal edging. One of the few evergreens that the deer don't eat!

Common Sweetshrub, Carolina Allspice (Calycanthus floridus) - Grows 3' to 5' tall and spreads by stolons, zones 5-10. Does well in full sun, part sun, shade, wet or dry soils. A good plant for many areas because of its sweet smell and tolerance of any condition. Flowers red or maroon in April for a month or
longer. Can bloom April-June. Flowers have good strawberry fragrance. Degree of fragrance depends on weather conditions and seedling variation.

American Hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana) - Grows to 30’, zones 5-10, likes
moist, rich soils, but will grow in a variety of conditions, and is tolerant of
shade. Generally grows in the understory of hardwood forests.slow-growing
short-lived tree in the understory of eastern mixed hardwood forests. The short, often crooked trunk covered with a smooth slate gray bark is characteristically ridged, resembling the muscles of a flexed arm.

Redosier Dogwood (Cornus sericea) - Grows 6-10’ tall, 10-12’ wide, zones 4-8, full sun to part shade. Many-stemmed, tall shrub. Takes partial shade, 1-3" clusters of white flowers in spring, followed by white berries in August. Bright red stems give striking winter interest. Habitat is moist soils, swamps,
streamsides, and upland forest. Landscape uses: erosion control, wet areas,
groupings, borders, hedges, and screens.

Daphne (Daphne mezereum 'Alba') - 2-3' tall and wide, zones 5-8, full sun,
partial shade. This great shrub is toxic and the deer know it! Be sure to
plant where you can enjoy three seasons of show: small white blooms
about the time crocus bloom, bright red berries in summer and green
leaves into fall.

Nikko (Deutzia sp.) - 1-2’ tall, 3-5’ wide, zones 5-8, full sun to part shade,
medium moisture. Low maintenance shrub with white flowers that
bloom in spring.

Dianthus 16” tall, 24” wide, full sun and can tolerate drought once
established. Pink, white & red varieties. Blooms through the summer,
and deadheading will help to keep plants looking tidy and prolong the
season. The silvery-green foliage makes a good background for the mass
of pink flowers, but even when not in flower the low creeping evergreen
mats make a good background for surrounding plants.

Cushion spurge (Euphorbia polychroma) - 12-16" tall, 24" wide, zones 4-8, full sun. Cushion spurge; syn. epithymoides. Mounded clump packed with yellow flowers (technically cyathia and involucres) from midspring to midsummer.

American Beech (Fagus grandiflora) - 50’ - 70’ tall, 120’ wide, zone 4, full sun best—does not like overly wet soils. A wide spreading deciduous tree. Trunk is short and branches generally touch ground. If tree is in crowded conditions, tree will assume a more upright habit. Slow growth rate.

Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum) - 8" tall, zones 4-7; partial shade to
shade. Woodland ground cover spreads by rhizomes. Star shaped
scented leaves encourage the deer to pass by. Small white flowers in
spring.

Roseanne Geranium 9-12" tall, zones 5-8, full sun to partial shade. Geraniums are hardy to Zone 5 and feature pleasantly fragrant and deer-resistant foliage. They spread slowly to form long-blooming mats of color, useful as ground cover or front-of-the-border feature. Purple flowers in early summer on low
growing, slowly spreading ground cover. Delightful aromatic foliage turns red
in fall.

Maidenhair Tree (Ginkgo biloba) - 40-70’ tall, 20-30’ wide, zones 3-9, full sun and range of soil types, but does not like wet soil. Form is pyramidal; irregular
horizontal branches; picturesque. Deciduous tree with emerald green fan
shaped leaves and yellow fall color.

St. John’s Wort (Hypericum sp.) - 30" tall and wide, zones 5-7, full sun to partial shade. Hardy, tightly mounded shrub produces masses of 1" golden yellow
flowers in midsummer. Plants tolerate hard pruning if they become too large.

Siberian Iris (Iris siberica) - 4" wide, 28" tall, zones 4-9, full sun. Beautiful,
grassy foliage makes a good contrast in any garden. Drought resistant and also
do well in moist soil. Once established, there's no weeding these expanding
clumps. Hybrids.

Dead Nettles (Lamium sp.) - 4-6" tall, zones 4-9, partial to full shade. Colorful
leaves and tolerance of ordinary soil make this a popular ground cover. Silver
leaves lined with green with white flowers in May-June.

Lavender (Lavandula) - Full sun, zones 5-10, many varieties differing in heights
and widths. Famous for their fragrance. Prune in spring to 6-8" to induce
vigorous new growth. An old favorite, Lavender "Munstead" is a dependable
performer blooming with pleasing lavender blue flowers. The flower color is
sometimes variable as is the plant size.

Melissa - Lemon Balm 18-24" tall, space 18," zones 4-7, full sun. Decorative
plant does well in poor, well drained soil. Lemony scented leaves foil the deer.
Golden yellow leaves standout all season plus white flowers tinted pale lilac
appear irregularly throughout the summer.

Monarda - Bee Balm 3' tall, zones 4-8, full sun, partial shade. When you are
not watching hummingbirds fighting each other over the air rights to your
Monarda, you'll be enjoying the fantastic blossoms! Very aromatic foliage sends Bambi to browse elsewhere. Plants spread rapidly to form a showy mass. They prefer moisture-retentive soil.

Northern Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica) - Typically grows from 5 to 6 feet high but can reach 10 feet. Spreads easily and forms colonies. Often found in coastal areas. Foliage is semi evergreen aromatic. Will grow well in dry, infertile, sandy, acidic soils. Grows best in full sun but will tolerate partial shade. Zones 2-6. Native.

Peony (Paeonia sp.) - 30-36" tall, zones 3-8, full sun to part shade. Variety of
colors, bloom times range from spring to early summer. Stunning cut flower.
Avoid planting your peony too deeply and be patient with it as it can take a few years to settle in before it begins to flower - the blooms are well worth the wait!

Dwarf Alberta Spruce (Picea sp.) -Prefers full sun, acidic soils, hardy to zone 3. Evergreen trees. Standard growth is conical, 8-10’ tall, 3-4’
wide. Need to allow room for growth.

Potentilla (Potentilla cinquefoil) - 2-3' tall, 5' wide, zones 3-7, full sun. White or
yellow flowers throughout the summer. Blue-green foliage, spreading habit.
The name Potentilla comes from the Greek "potens," meaning powerful, from
reputed medicinal qualities. Enjoy the summer-long flowering qualities of these
selections and your deer will leave the taste testing to the drug companies.
These tough, deciduous shrubs thrive in almost any soil.

Low Grow Fragrant Sumac (Rhus aromatica 'Gro-Low') - 24-30" tall, 6-8’ spread, zones 4-9, full sun, partial shade. A tall, spreading ground cover or short hedge with glossy green foliage and superb orange-red fall color.

Meadow Sage (Salvia sp.) - 18" tall, space 15," zones 5-9, full sun. Here is
another fresh-smelling plant that the deer just can't stand. You'll enjoy the
midsummer spikes of colorful blooms year after year. Closest to true blue. Likes sunny spot in well drained soil.

Spiraea (Spirea sp.) - Grows 2 feet high with 3 to 4 feet spread. Dwarf spirea
with pinkish purple flowers in mid summer. Yellow-red new growth makes
this spirea attractive all season. Best in full sun, tolerates shade.. Moist soil. Zones 4 –8.

Lambs' Ears (Stachys byzantina) - 16” tall, 24” wide, full sun, hardy
perennialLambs' ears is a well-known ground-covering perennial, popular for
its soft, fluffy foliage. Plants flower in mid-summer, and the thick silvery-felty
stems with knotty buds are quite a feature. Once established, plants are
reasonably drought-tolerant, making this a good choice for a dry sunny border
or gravel garden.

Arborvitae (Thuja Green Giant sp.) - Full Sun. 20-30’ tall, 5-15’ spread. Zones 2-8. Evergreen. Loose, tall pyramid with glossy dark-green foliage. Reported resistant to deer browse. Great as a windscreen or hedge. Will get leggy and less attractive in shade.

Thyme (Thymus sp.) - Varieties range from 2-10” tall, 6-10” spread, zones 5-9, full sun to partial shade. Foliage, flowers and fragrance! The word thymus is Greek for "courage," something the deer are missing when it comes to browsing thyme. Use for edging walks, in containers and among stepping stones. Useful as a garnish and in herb butters.

Doublefile Viburnum (Viburnum plicatum tomentosa) - 8-10’ tall, spreading habit; full sun to partial shade; hardy to zone 5. Requires moist, well-drained soils, suffers in both clay and drought. In late spring, Viburnum plicatum var.
tomentosum produces masses of white flowers along horizontal branches. The
resulting display can be absolutely outstanding, with the blossoms seemingly
floating on air above the foliage.

Old Fashioned Weigela (Weigela florida) - 4-6’ tall, 4-6’ spread, zones 3-8, full sun and wide soil variety. Foliage is deep, purple-tinted green and forms a
compact mound, reaching 6' when mature. Flowers bloom in early summer and
again in late summer. Flowers attract hummingbirds. Suitable for shrub and
mixed border.

Recommended Deer Resistant Shade Plants

Leucothoe axillaris, Coast Leucothoe - 4’ tall, zones 6-8, partial shade, moist
soil. Evergreen shrub with arching branches; dark green glossy leaves may
bronze in winter; withstands heat and humidity; needs a few hours of direct
sun and good air circulation to prevent leaf spot disease. White to pink flushed
flowers in early spring.

Spiraea (Spirea sp.) - Grows 2 feet high with 3 to 4 feet spread. Dwarf spirea
with pinkish purple flowers in mid summer. Yellow-red new growth makes
this spirea attractive all season. Best in full sun, tolerates shade, but will flower
less. Moist soil. Zones 4 –8.

Andromeda (Pieris sp.) - 6-8’ tall, 8-10’ wide, zone 4-7, full sun. A
broadleaved evergreen shrub, most Pieris varieties have abundant white
flowers, although some cultivars, notably ' Christmas Cheer' have pink
blossoms. The fruits are not showy.

Dead Nettles (Lamium sp.) - 4-6" tall, zones 4-9, partial to full shade. Colorful
leaves and tolerance of ordinary soil make this a popular ground cover. Silver
leaves lined with green with white flowers in May-June.

Roseanne Geranium 9-12" tall, zones 5-8, full sun to partial shade. Geraniums are hardy to Zone 5 and feature pleasantly fragrant and deer-resistant foliage. They spread slowly to form long-blooming mats of color, useful as ground cover or front-of-the-border feature. Purple flowers in early summer on low growing, slowly spreading ground cover. Delightful aromatic foliage turns redin fall.

Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum) - 8" tall, zones 4-7; partial shade to
shade. Woodland ground cover spreads by rhizomes. Star shaped
scented leaves encourage the deer to pass by. Small white flowers in
spring.

Monkshood (Aconitum carmichaelii 'Arendsii') - 4' tall, 12" wide, zones 4-7,
partial shade. Rich blue flowers on sturdy stems in midautumn.

Epimediums, or Barrenworts as they are commonly called, range in height from 6 to 20 inches. (The average is about a foot high.) Makes a great ground cover in a shadey border. Zones 3- 7. Blooms very pretty fairy flowers in the spring, foliage is attractive for the rest of the season.

Helleborus is a group of very beautiful and interesting, evergreen or deciduous (leaf-losing) perennials that are native to southern Europe and Asia. These plants belong to the Buttercup family, Ranunculaceae. They grow upright from 12 to 18 inches high. These plants have several common names such as Hellebore, Christmas Rose, and Lenten Rose. The first flowers to bloom in very early spring, the flowers sometimes dry on the plant and stay through the summer.