Deer Resistant Cottage Garden

/ Chelsea, The Cottage Vegetable

Deer can be the bane to many gardeners. As lovely as they look, deer can wreak havoc on a garden bed.

Many resort to fencing, which is enough to solve most deer problems.

But most gardeners have areas on a property that you simply cannot fence off entirely.

In these cases, there are plenty of deer resistant plants out there to help.

And if you are looking for a ‘cottage styled’ garden to grow, there are plenty of deer resistant plants out there that can help foster that look.

Here we discuss 12 plants, herbs, and flowers that are deer resistant and can easily complement your cottage styled garden.

Let’s Dive In…

Deer Resistant Cottage Garden

Interesting enough, having deer roam around your yard surrounded by beautiful landscape only adds to the fantasy of having cottage garden.

If you are lucky enough to witness it, you would understand that deer are usually not something to complete discourage.

Personally, the deer in our yard come for the crab apple trees and they do a good job cleaning up the mess during the winter. Not only do they look beautiful in our woodland setting, but the deer are also actually useful.

That said, I don’t need them becoming living lawn mowers and taking down my vegetable gardens or even my ornamental beds.

And a cottage garden in particular can look like a buffet to deer if not carefully planned.

This list could be a long one but today we will look at just a few, with specific ones that can create a great looking cottage styled garden.

12 deer resistant flowers and herbs:

  1. Bee Balm
  2. Black Eyed Susan
  3. Bleeding Heart
  4. Columbine
  5. Echinacea
  6. Foxglove
  7. Lily of the Valley
  8. Marigolds
  9. Oregano
  10. Rosemary
  11. Yarrow
  12. Zinnia

Now the goal of a cottage garden is to create this very natural look.

Cottage gardens tend to have blurred lines and colorful blooms while providing both edible and ornamental features.

It can really lend itself well to crafty or DIY form of creating a garden.

For these plants, flowy foliage, bright blooms, and even contrasting structure are what qualifies these plants to make this list.

Bee Balm. Large and whimsical looking, these sweet-smelling flowers are not only ornamental, native to the Midwest, but also medicinal. They are great for the pollinators and do well in a vase.

Black Eyed Susan. These look great in large groupings, and Black-eyed Susan’s come in many variations of yellow and red colors now. Native to most of America, these perennials are a great addition to any cottage garden and do well in a vase.

Bleeding Heart. These heart shaped blooms are always fun to see in the springtime. They thrive in shade and will grow to a large size in the right conditions. The also do very well giving an energizing burst of spring color.

Columbine. Another native to most of America, these flowers come in several colors to try. Grouping these in large areas make them shine, even when they are not in bloom. Great for borders or smaller beds.

Echinacea. Another one coming in several colors now a days, Echinacea is a great addition to a cottage garden. They are ornamental, medicinal and do great in a vase. They are also near no maintenance if grown in the right conditions.

Foxglove. One of the most classic cottage garden flowers is also deer resistant! Coming in several colors, these spear-like blooms will give an instant cottage garden look to your beds.

Lily of the Valley. These spring bloomers are great ground covers in hard to grow areas. Although small and often overlooked, there burst of life in the springtime is always welcomed.

Marigolds. This great companion plant in your vegetable garden is another deer resistant flower. Coming in several colors to try now a days, marigolds is an easy addition to your garden beds. They also bloom for a very long time in the fall, tolerating light frosts, which gives mums a run for their money come autumn.

Oregano. The aroma of oregano to deer is off putting, giving us a chance to grow our perennial herbs outside the vegetable garden fencing. Oregano is pretty especially if left to bloom and a great border plant.

Rosemary. Rosemary is another classic cottage garden herb and thankfully deer resistant due to its aroma. Even when grown as an annual, rosemary can add structure and contrast to all the flowy flowers cottage gardens lend to.

Yarrow. A great perennial to have in your garden beds. It’s ornamental, medicinal, and a great companion plant to your vegetable garden. Coming in several colors, their fern like leaves and slow spreading nature is a perfect flower for a cottage garden.

Zinnia. This classic vegetable companion plant is a winner for your deer resistant beds. Coming in dozens of colors and heights, zinnias give the most flexibility to a gardener. Easy to start from seed and they do great in a vase.

That’s It!

Fencing is not always an option for garden beds but that doesn’t mean you have to stop there.

Dozens of plants, including the ones discussed, are great to leave alone in the open without much damage from deer being done.

This is by far not a complete list, but these 12 plants are a great launching point for anyone.

Enjoy!

Happy Gardening!

-Chelsea, The Cottage Vegetable

The Cottage Vegetable

Gardening & Preserving for a Practical Kitchen

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12-IN 1 Metal Raised bed in Barn Red, featured in my own personal garden