8 Deer-Resistant Ground Covers for a Lush Garden That Will Last All Season

Creeping Phlox

Creeping phlox (Phlox stolonifera) has many perks. Its bright pink flowers attract pollinators, and it's drought-tolerant once established, though it will need moist soils for its first year.

It's a "sprawling ground cover that looks great spilling over retaining walls," adds Brooke Edmunds, professor and horticulturist at the Oregon State University Extension.

Best of all, deer usually avoid it.

• Zones: 3 to 10
• Size: 6 inches tall x 36 to 48 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil

Broadleaf Stonecrop

This evergreen perennial forms lovely rosettes of blue-green leaves, giving your garden a lush look and attracting pollinators. Edmunds notes that broadleaf stonecrop (Sedum spathulifolium) "is also drought-tolerant, making it a great choice for a low-water use landscape."

Like many other plants in the sedum family, deer don't find broadleaf stonecrop particularly tasty and will generally leave it alone.

• Zones: 5 to 9
• Size: 2 to 8 inches tall x 1 to 3 feet wide
• Care requirements: Full sun or partial shade, well-drained soil

Bigroot Geranium

"This is my go-to ground cover in garden beds with full sun to part shade," says Niki Jabbour, founder of Savvy Gardening.

She notes that she loves bigroot geraniums (Geranium macrorrhizum) for their fragrant foliage and pretty summer flowers. Plus, since its leaves are scented, deer and rabbits tend to avoid it.

• Zones: 4 to 9
• Size: 12 to 15 inches high x 18 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun to part shade; well-draining soil

Catmint

The mint-like fragrance of catmint (Nepeta racemosa) will keep deer and many other pests at bay.

"Stick to low-growing cultivars like Cat’s Pyjamas and Junior Walker that only grow a foot tall, and, when planted in groups, create a dense mat of foliage and flowers," adds Jabbour.

• Zones: 3 to 8
• Size: 12 to 24 inches tall; width varies
• Care requirements: Full sun; well-drained soil

Blue Fescue

Deer tend to avoid spiky leaves that are harder for them to chew, so they'll leave blue fescue (Festuca glauca) alone. This grass is also remarkably low-maintenance and thrives in sunny gardens.

"From early summer through late autumn, these compact plants add color and interest, especially when grown in mass plantings," adds Jabbour.

• Zones: 4 to 8
• Size: 6 to 12 inches tall x 12 to 18 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun to part shade; moist, well-drained soil

Lamb's Ear

Humans love the velvety feel of lamb's ears (Stachys byzantina), but deer don't prefer the texture. Jabbour notes that lamb's ear is best planted in full sun, "and the pink summer flowers are appealing to bees."

• Zones: 4 to 8
• Size: 6 to 24 inches tall x 12 to 36 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun to partial shade; well-drained soil

Kinnikinnick

Kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), also known as bearberry, is a beautiful evergreen ground cover that produces white flowers and red fruit in the fall. Deer tend to avoid it, though Edmunds notes that it "doesn't do well in humid areas with wet summers."

• Zones: 2 to 6
• Size: 5 to 8 inches tall x 2 to 5 feet wide
• Care requirements: Full sun, well-drained and acidic soil

Creeping Thyme

Creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum) quickly fills a garden with beautiful pink flowers. It's a pollinator magnet, according to Edmunds, and has strongly scented leaves. Deer don't like how it tastes, thankfully, so you won't have to worry about their unruly appetites.

• Zone: 4 to 9
• Size: 2 to 6 inches tall x 12 to 18 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun; moist, well-drained soil