Best Long-Blooming, Deer-Resistant Perennials

I expect a lot from my plants. Every selection has to earn it's place by offering significant multi-season interest with minimal care while also being deer-resistant. When it comes to flowering perennials that also means they have to be disease resistant and well-behaved. There's no room for "princess" plants that have to be clipped, preened or constantly chased to stop them spreading elsewhere without invitation. Here are my top picks based on 6-10 years of experience growing them in the same garden. For context my USDA zone is 6b with horribly wet winters and progressively hot summers. The soil is amended clay and I give these no supplemental water once established. There are also several families of deer that call this garden their home.

Rozanne geranium

Rozanne geranium has periwinkle-blue flowers with a white eye and is much longer blooming than other hardy geraniums

There are many hardy geraniums available and I have grown quite a few but Rozanne remains my #1 choice. It begins flowering in late May and continues through to Thanksgiving most years. It needs no deadheading, doesn't need dividing, does not self-seed and gets pretty autumnal tints to the foliage when temperatures begin to drop. Care is limited to grabbing the stems together in a ponytail in late fall and chopping them off at the crown. Larger clumps can be easily divided if you wish to transplant some elsewhere and I've successfully grown this both in full sun and dappled shade.

Rozanne geranium in combination with a purple smoke bush and Shenandoah switch grass. This 4-foot-diameter mound is a single plant

If you plant this along the deer's preferred route they may taste-test it, yet my experience has been that they will only sample the stems closest to them before moving on. Nor do the deer go out of their way to eat it. Rabbits may also nibble young stems but seem to quickly lose interest. For younger plants it may be worth a quick spritz of a repellent early in the season but I rarely do that now. One plant can easily spread to 4-feet diameter so give it room. It's not a climber but will often weave a few tendrils through adjacent shrubs with a pretty effect. You could also plant this as a solo specimen in a tall container for a stunning summer display.

Walker's Low Catmint

Walkers Low catmint inter-planted with a few magenta sword lilies (Gladioli communis ssp. Byzantinus) which sadly didn't overwinter for me

I've grown many varieties of catmint (Nepeta spp.) but Walker's Low remains a favorite for being moderately large but not too gangly, blooming prolifically over many months and being reliably deer, rabbit and drought resistant. Underplanting it with spring bulbs is an easy way to layer in more color. Some years I've cut back the flowering stems mid-summer to get a second flush and to tidy the stems up a little. Yet when I haven't got around to it this catmint seems to bloom again anyway. Grow this along a pathway or mid-border to provide a fragrant froth of foliage and flowers all summer long.

Santa Barbara Daisy

This delicate daisy is much tougher than it looks

This diminutive daisy is one of the fleabane (Erigeron spp.) species: Erigeron k. 'Profusion' and is another personal favorite of mine. In milder climates it will remain evergreen but for me it defoliates almost entirely. In spring I trim back many of the stems to the crown and it quickly grows back into a dainty green cushion studded with perfect little daisies. Deer ignore it but rabbits may find the early growth tempting. A quick spray with repellent should be enough to give the daisy a chance to get going and quickly outgrow the rabbits appetite.

A garden I designed for clients several years ago featured a carpet of Santa Barbara daisy beneath taller plants.

This is the perfect flowering groundcover with blooms from spring until hard frost. Plant it between pavers, alongside a pathway, use it to soften boulders or stone steps or simply enjoy it as a filler in sunny beds between other shrubs and perennials.

Midnight Masquerade Penstemon

The dark foliage of Midnight Masquerade penstemon is a perfect foil for the lavender blooms. Photo credit: Proven Winners

I don't grow a lot of penstemon since few have proven hardy in my soil and my favorites only flowered for a few weeks. I was challenged to re-visit the genus, however, after researching my book Deer-Resistant Design and being enchanted by a display of penstemon in a New Jersey garden. It just so happened that Proven Winners sent me a sample of Midnight Masquerade penstemon to try that year too. The rich burgundy foliage is eye catching – and it is evergreen for me, although our recent ice storm caused some leaf tips to turn brown. The tall spires of lavender blooms last for  several months and the plants themselves have slowly multiplied to provide an increasingly impressive display. I've never had any rabbits or deer show any interest in these so truly an easy care perennial.

Dark Towers penstemon set against a weathered tuteur in a country garden, NJ

Dark Towers penstemon also has dark foliage but the flowers are a soft white rather than lavender. This was the vignette that captured my imagination when I was on the book photo shoot and I imagine would do equally well here.

Blanket Flower

Apricot Arizona blanket flower is perfect for those that find the classic red and gold daisies too bright. In combination here with a dwarf catmint and lamb's ears.

This was another introduction after photographing a Portland garden for my Deer-Resistant Design book. I was familiar with Gaillardia spp. of course and was aware there were several new colors besides the classic red and yellow daisies, but somehow I'd never though they would be showy enough.

Trio of deer-resistant, drought tolerant plants in shades of red and yellow. Diervilla 'Nightglow', Gaillardia 'Arizona Sun' and Symphocarpus chenaultii 'Blade of Sun'.

While they don't bloom as long as the Rozanne geranium, blanket flowers do bloom for many weeks, beginning around mid-summer for me and their bold color really wakes up the garden. Another reason I'm recommending these is that they are so easy to grow from seed and will bloom the first year. The clumps continue to expand but not aggressively and they don't need deadheading – in fact the rosy seed heads are one of their attractive features. Plant in full sun and well drained soil. Ignored by deer and rabbits.

Paprika Yarrow

Paprika yarrow opens a rich scarlet-red before fading through pink and cream for a pretty muted look

I'm a lazy gardener. I don't want to spend my time deadheading flowers – yet many of the yarrow quickly fade to shades of grey. Paprika is a winner in that regard, emerging scarlet, fading to pink then cream before  the inevitable grey persuades me to find my pruners. But those intermediate colors have extended the bloom time and color show significantly and so Paprika makes the cut for my list. Deer and rabbits have never been a problem – but the voles were and I ended up losing quite a few. Time to go shopping again…..

Deer-resistant, drought tolerant summer combination of Achillea millefolium 'Paprika', Berberis thunbergii 'Golden Ruby', Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star' and Spiraea 'Double Play Gold'

Plant in full sun and well drained soil.

Honorable Mentions

A summer classic: black eyed Susan's make me smile

Black-eyed Susan: love these and have LOTS! Best planted in large drifts – which is just as well, since they do tend to spread although they are easy to corral. Leave the seed heads to stand for the birds over the winter Silver Heart Siberian bugloss: a spring bloomer that makes the cut since once the forget-me-not flowers have faded the large silver and green, heart-shaped foliage is as pretty as any hosta. This variety (and Sea Heart) seems to have better fungal disease resistance than Jack Frost

Additional Resources

You may notice there is some cross-over between this list and my selection of Best Drought Tolerant, Deer-Resistant Perennials and Annuals. Reference back to this 2017 post for additional foliage plants and single season performers for an easy care garden.

Subscribe to Receive Blog Posts

Gardening inspiration delivered right to your inbox from Le Jardinet

The Layered Garden: Lessons from England

Feb 21 2023

English gardens are known for their unapologetic "abundant" look, where flowers, vegetables and/or shrubs mingle easily like the very best of friends. This is achieved by "layering" a range of plants with different heights together and is a technique that can be applied from the tiniest garden to the largest estate regardless of aesthetic or…
Read More

Grow Your Own Super Bloom!

Feb 7 2023

There's an air of anticipation; conditions are looking favorable for parts of California and southwestern United States to be bedazzled with a super bloom this year. Have you ever experienced this? It's high on my wish list – several good photographer friends have taken stunning images of this phenomena which turns the hillsides to a…
Read More

New Annuals to Try from Seed

Jan 24 2023

I never really saw myself growing annuals from seed. My mum used to grow enough petunias and pansies for the entire neighborhood so call it aversion therapy! Yet nurseries only grow and sell a tiny fraction of the best annuals available; there are so many more great plants in so many different colors. I'm fortunate…
Read More

New Year: New Seeds

Jan 10 2023

The decorations are back in the barn for another year and the last of the mince pies will probably be eaten this weekend, officially ending the Holiday season in our home. So it was very exciting to receive another gift just a few days ago – a large package of seeds for me to grow!…
Read More

A Time to be Still

Dec 13 2022

I'm not very good at resting – ask my swim coach or my husband! Our recent snowfalls held us hostage at home for a few days since our hill was not safe to drive – which of course I took as a personal affront to my plans! Yet, there is beauty in the stillness and…
Read More

Holiday Favorites

Nov 29 2022

Need some inspiration for gift-giving this year? My selection is based on items that are either firm personal favorites or offer significant value well beyond the Holiday season. Garden Gnome Tree Ornament It has become a tradition that on Christmas Eve our family exchanges a small gift – specifically a tree ornament. My husband Andy…
Read More

Inspiration from RHS Wisley

Nov 15 2022

Earlier this year I had the opportunity to visit the historic home of the Royal Horticultural Society: RHS Garden Wisley.  Like its northern counterpart RHS Harlow Carr which I have visited several times, it is jam-packed with inspiration for home gardeners and designers alike. Since I was visiting in May, that helped me narrow my…
Read More

Outside Style: Book Review & Giveaway

Nov 1 2022

I'm not even waiting until this one is available for sale before I tell you about it – I'm that excited!  But let me start at the beginning… I met the author, Ryan McEnaney several years ago over a glass of wine – sauvignon blanc to be specific. We were at a conference for garden…
Read More

5 Design Lessons from The Best of the Best

Oct 4 2022

I've just returned from leading a  tour to Gardens of the Delaware and Brandywine Valleys. Such a fabulous group of fun-loving guests! Looking back over my many photographs I realized that in our excitement to visit outstanding gardens we can sometimes find it hard to see the 'take-home ideas', especially if our climate or plant…
Read More

Before & After: Evolution Of A Transformation

Sep 6 2022

Do you enjoy those instant makeover TV shows where a crew shows up and magically transforms an uninspiring garden into a magazine -worthy showcase in seven days? Well guess what – that is NOT the reality for most homeowners, and neither is it always the best solution. Not every garden renovation is quick but allowing…
Read More

Welcome to My Garden Adventures

SE6A7058

I'm a serious plant-aholic. In other words I'm usually covered in a layer or two of soil, I drive everywhere with a large tarp for impromptu plant purchases and I'm truly passionate about sharing the joys of gardening.

Buy My Books Here!

 

 

Container Gardening Course

Enter KCHAPMAN20 to get 20% off

Architecture, interior design, and more ∨

Use the help of top home decorators to select matching bedside tables and a new lamp shade for your own bedroom design.
Collect and share photos of bathroom tile, bathroom vanities, shower curtains and bathroom mirrors to create your perfect home decorating style.

TV Interview

Archives