Deer-Resistant Ferns

Ferns cover damp, shaded ground that other plants leave alone. There are low-upkeep options here, and most need little once they are in the ground. Many keep their leaves through winter, which holds the shape of the planting. Give them shade and soil that holds water and they ask for nothing else.

A single group, but not a single look: there is enough variety to mix and match without repeating yourself. Dryopteris, Adiantum and Asplenium have the most entries, and woodland edges and borders are the commonest uses.