Deer Resistant Plants for Shade Gardens

Deer resistant shade plants are the secret to a low-stress garden. They thrive where light is limited and deer are frequent visitors. Whether you're working under trees, along shaded fences, or in cool corners of your yard, these plants protect your investment. They keep your garden looking beautiful all season long.

At Garden Crossings, our curated selection includes annuals, perennials, and shrubs built for strong performance in challenging spots. Many also attract pollinators and thrive in moist, cool soil so they do double duty in the landscape. Ready to design a stunning layered look? Explore our deer resistant shade plants and build a garden that stays beautiful and unbrowsed.

A brown deer with short antlers grazes on green plants in a lush, wooded area, surrounded by leafy bushes and trees.
A dense cluster of vibrant red and magenta-pink leaves of Blazin' Rose' Blood Leaf (Iresine) stands out in a lush garden, complemented by green foliage and soft pink flowers in the foreground - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.A lush cluster of Blazin' Rose' Blood Leaf (Iresine) showcases dark green leaves with vivid pink veins, complemented by small pink flowers and other greenery in a garden, creating a striking foliage display - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.

'Blazin' Rose' Blood Leaf (Iresine)

$10.99
$10.99
Close-up of four delicate, light purple 'Bowles Me Away' Wallflower (Erysimum) blooms with yellow centers and green foliage - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.A cluster of tall, lilac colorted blooms with slender stems and green leaves grows by a gravel path, showcasing the beauty of 'Bowles Me Away' Wallflower (Erysimum) - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.

'Bowles Me Away' Wallflower (Erysimum)

$17.99
$17.99
‘Cutting Edge’ Foamflower (Tiarella) is a woodland perennial with jagged green leaves and tall stems bearing dense white flower spikes, thriving in garden beds mulched with pine needles - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Top down view of green, jagged-lobed leaves and purple veins, 'Cutting Edge' Foamflower (Tiarella) forms clusters in dark soil - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Cutting Edge' Foamflower (Tiarella)

$18.99
$18.99

Clusters of 'Dark Side of the Moon' Chinese Astilbe feature dark foliage and tall stems with vibrant pink and purple blooms, growing in a garden bed amidst green leafy plants and hostas in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A dense cluster of 'Dark Side of the Moon' Chinese Astilbe, with jagged greenish-brown and purple leaves, grows closely in a garden bed, while small yellow and pink flowers can be seen in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Dark Side of the Moon' Chinese Astilbe

$19.99
$19.99

A close-up of 'Etain' Perennial Violet (Viola) shows its fragrant yellow blooms edged in light purple, set among green leaves with a dark purple pansy in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of 'Etain' Perennial Violet (Viola) features pale yellow flowers with purple edges and soft green leaves, bringing lasting charm and beauty to any garden setting - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Etain' Perennial Violet (Viola)

$17.99
$17.99

A close-up of 'Gold Heart' Bleeding Heart (Dicentra) displays its pink flowers on a curved stem, surrounded by vibrant gold-green foliage, flourishing in the sunlight of a shade garden - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A shade garden highlights 'Gold Heart' Bleeding Heart (Dicentra) with vibrant yellow-green leaves and pink, heart-shaped flowers on arching stems. Wooden lattice fencing and plant labels appear among the foliage in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Gold Heart' Bleeding Heart (Dicentra)

$18.99
$18.99

Close up of dense clusters of green and yellow variegated foliage, 'Golden Feathers' Jacob's Ladder (Polemonium) adds vivid texture and striking color as an eye-catching perennial for shady garden spots - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.Close-up of a group of light purple flowers with yellow centers rise above the variegated foliage of 'Golden Feathers' Jacob's Ladder (Polemonium) - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Golden Feathers' Jacob's Ladder (Polemonium)

$20.99
$20.99

Top-down view of 'Halo Sky Blue' Perennial Violet (Viola) blooms, featuring fragrant blue-violet flowers with green leaves, thriving in bright sunlight - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.A black, ribbed planter filled with fragrant 'Halo Sky Blue' Perennial Violet (Viola) blooms sits on a patio, surrounded by green foliage and a softly blurred outdoor background - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

'Halo Sky Blue' Perennial Violet (Viola)

$17.99
$17.99

Close-up of delicate pink and yellow spidery flowers with long, thin petals bloom above green, heart-shaped leaves—Hugs And Kisses' Barrenwort (Epimedium) is a deer-resistant perennial ideal for lush shade gardens - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.Delicate pink flowers with long, thin petals and yellow centers bloom on arching stems among green leaves of 'Hugs And Kisses' Barrenwort (Epimedium). Flower pot and yellow flowers are blurred in the background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Hugs and Kisses' Barrenwort (Epimedium)

$21.99
$21.99

Close-up of small, bright blue flowers with yellow centers bloom above the silvery-white veined leaves of 'Jack Frost' Siberian Bugloss (Brunnera), a striking perennial and perfect shade groundcover for a vibrant garden - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A top-down view of small blue flowers with yellow centers blooming above green leaves with silvery veins. 'Jack Frost' Siberian Bugloss (Brunnera) is a beautiful perennial ideal as shade groundcover among lush foliage and pine needle mulch - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Jack Frost' Siberian Bugloss (Brunnera)

$18.99
$18.99

Large, heart-shaped leaves with silver-white surfaces and dark green veins form a dense cluster in 'Queen of Hearts' Siberian Bugloss (Brunnera), creating a striking mounding ground cover among surrounding greenery - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.'Queen of Hearts' Siberian Bugloss (Brunnera) features large, heart-shaped green leaves with silvery-white veins and a slightly rough texture - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Queen of Hearts' Siberian Bugloss (Brunnera)

$19.99
$19.99

Close-up of Ragin Cajun' Spigelia features dense clusters of bright red and yellow tubular flowers and pointed green leaves, creating a striking hummingbird plant in the garden with blurred foliage in the background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.A dense cluster of 'Ragin Cajun' Spigelia, a native perennial prized for attracting hummingbirds, displays upright bright red flower spikes amid other blooms in a vibrant garden - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Ragin Cajun' Spigelia

$20.99
$20.99

A close-up of the vibrant 'Rebecca Cawthorne' Perennial Violet (Viola) showcases its purple and white blooms with green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Top-down view of 'Rebecca Cawthorne' Perennial Violet (Viola) with ruffled petals in shades of deep violet, lavender, and creamy yellow-white, accented by green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Rebecca Cawthorne' Perennial Violet (Viola)

$17.99
$17.99
'Rise and Shine' Chinese Astilbe features tall clusters of vibrant hot pink blooms above lush green foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.'Rise and Shine' Chinese Astilbe features tall, feathery hot pink blooms above lush green foliage that fills the frame. Blurred greenery and a wood fence in the background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Rise and Shine' Chinese Astilbe

$18.99
$18.99

Close-up of ‘Spot On’ Lungwort (Pulmonaria) features green leaves with white spots and clusters of small pink and purple flowers - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A cluster of 'Spot On' Lungwort (Pulmonaria) shows green leaves with white spots and purple-blue and pink blooms, thriving in mulched soil with a yellow-green shade plant in the background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Spot On' Lungwort (Pulmonaria)

$19.99
$19.99

Close-up of a 'Webmaster' Spiderwort (Tradescantia) flower with three purple petals, yellow stamens, and long green leaves. Other similar perennial flowers and buds appear among the surrounding foliage - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.'Webmaster' Spiderwort (Tradescantia) features slender green leaves and small purple flowers, thriving in mulched garden beds among grass and lush greenery - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

'Webmaster' Spiderwort (Tradescantia)

$19.99
$19.99
A dense patch of yellow-flowering Woodland Elf' Barrenwort (Epimedium), with delicate blooms and elongated, reddish-green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.'Woodland Elf' Barrenwort (Epimedium) is a bushy groundcover with yellow flowers and long green leaves tinged reddish-brown beside a trellis fences and rocks in a garden bed - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Woodland Elf' Barrenwort (Epimedium)

$21.99
$21.99
Close-up of a Catalina® Gilded Grape™ Wishbone Flower (Torenia) with a dark purple center, rounded yellow petals, and green leaves. This shade to sun plant also displays a small drop of water on its upper petal. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCClose-up of Catalina® Gilded Grape™ Wishbone Flower (Torenia), ideal for hanging baskets or shade to sun spots. Features yellow blooms with purple centers, dark throats, and lush green foliage on rounded, tubular petals - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Catalina® Gilded Grape™ Wishbone Flower (Torenia)

$10.99
$10.99

Close-up of vibrant Colorblaze® Cherry Drop Coleus leaves with deep burgundy centers, bright pink veins, and serrated lime green edges - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.A potted Colorblaze® Cherry Drop Coleus with dense, trailing leaves in deep red, pink, and green shades edged in light green sits in a square beige container against a white background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

ColorBlaze® Cherry Drop Coleus

$10.99
$10.99
Colorblaze® Chocolate Drop Coleus features trailing foliage with green-edged, deep burgundy centers, serrated margins, and a striking mix of light and dark patterns - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of Colorblaze® Chocolate Drop Coleus shows trailing leaves with jagged edges, deep burgundy centers, and green-yellow borders. The dense foliage is vibrantly colored and very eye-catching - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

ColorBlaze® Chocolate Drop Coleus

$10.99
$10.99

Colorblaze Lime Time Coleus features a dense cluster of sun-tolerant, bright lime-green serrated leaves that overlap to create a lush, vibrant ground cover - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCThe sun-tolerant Colorblaze® Lime Time® Coleus, with its bright green scalloped leaves, creates a vibrant garden display alongside blooming white and purple petunias and small pink flowers - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Colorblaze® Lime Time® Coleus

$10.99
$10.99

A dense bush of Colorblaze® Mini Me™ Chartreuse Coleus, featuring spiky, narrow yellow-green leaves and bright green foliage, grows in a garden bed bordered by deer-resistant plants with green and purple leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCClose-up of bright green, elongated, jagged-edged foliage with a glossy finish forming a dense, vibrant display - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

ColorBlaze® Mini Me™ Chartreuse Coleus

$10.99
$10.99
Colorblaze® Mini Me™ Watermelon Coleus displays serrated red, pink, and yellow leaves. Yellow and pink petunias bloom among the annual foliage, adding vibrant contrast and eye-catching visual interest - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCA large Colorblaze® Mini Me™ Watermelon Coleus with serrated red and green leaves grows among blooming yellow petunias in a neat garden, with green grass and greenhouse structures visible in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Colorblaze® Mini Me™ Watermelon Coleus

$10.99
$10.99

Colorblaze® Royale Pineapple Brandy™ Coleus, a bushy foliage plant with bright yellow-green leaves, grows beside vivid magenta flowers atop mulch - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCA dense cluster of vibrant yellow-green, serrated leaves—Colorblaze® Royale Pineapple Brandy™ Coleus—is surrounded by dark green foliage and touches of pink flowers - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Colorblaze® Royale Pineapple Brandy™ Coleus

$10.99
$10.99