Low-Maintenance Deer-Resistant Flowering Shrubs

Flowering shrubs that need little pruning and mostly escape deer browsing. Compare bloom time, mature size, and hardiness zone.

Common Thyme

Leatherleaf Viburnum

Common Pawpaw

Cactus Pear

Shrubs give a garden its bones, and a badly browsed one stays lopsided for years. These shrubs are also the low-upkeep ones. There are evergreens here, and many keep their leaves through winter. Some of them establish quickly.

shrubs: 270
hardiness zones: 3 to 12

Deer-resistant shrubs do not have to be colourless. You can find shrubs here that flower in spring through to late autumn, and the last flowers are still there when the leaves start to turn. Most of the colour is white and yellow.

spring: 197
summer: 128
late autumn: 46

Cranberry Bush Viburnum

Russian Sage

Bridal Wreath

Common Lantana

A single group, but not a single look: there is enough variety to mix and match without repeating yourself. Viburnum, Berberis and Salvia have the most entries, and borders and hedges are the commonest uses.

borders: 182
hedges: 138