Deer-Proof Your Pittsburgh Garden: My 10 Favorite Plants They’ll Avoid
If hungry deer are treating your garden like a buffet, you’re not alone — it’s one of the top complaints I hear from gardeners in Pittsburgh and throughout Western PA. The good news? There are plants that deer tend to avoid, and they can still bring beauty, color, and structure to your garden. In this post, I’ll share my top 10 favorite deer-resistant plants for both sunny and shady spots, all of which thrive in our local climate and soil conditions.
Looking for a custom plant list tailored to your garden? Book a garden design consultation and I’ll help you choose deer-resistant plants that suit your space, soil, and style.
For a Sunny Garden
Catmint/Nepeta
Type: perennial with purple spring blooms
Maintenance requirements: Catmint will go dormant in the winter and should be cut back to the ground each spring (March or early April) to make way for new growth. After its first flush of blooms fades in June, you can cut this plant back again, and it will regrow and should rebloom later in the summer.
Coreopsis
Type: perennial with yellow, pink, orange, or red early summer blooms. Native varieties are available.
Maintenance requirements: Coreopsis will go dormant in the winter and should be cut back to the ground each spring (March or early April) to make way for new growth.
Bee Balm/Monarda
Type: perennial with pink summer blooms. Native varieties are available.
Maintenance requirements: Bee Balm will go dormant in the winter and should be cut back to the ground each spring (March or early April) to make way for new growth.
Calycanthus
Type: deciduous shrub with red spring blooms. Native varieties are available.
Maintenance requirements: None! If you need to prune this shrub for sizing reasons, do so after it’s done blooming, usually in June.
Mugo Pine
Type: evergreen shrub
Maintenance requirements: None! This slow-grower can be pruned to size if needed, but otherwise doesn’t require extra maintenance.
For a Shady Garden
Hellebore/Lenten Rose
Type: semi-evergreen perennial with colorful blooms in late winter that last for months!
Maintenance requirements: Hellebore leaves are evergreen, but I recommend cutting off last year’s foliage in late winter to clean up the look of the plant. This also gives the plant energy to push out new growth (leaves and blooms) that will look great for the rest of the year.
Brunnera
Type: perennial with blue spring blooms. This long-bloomer provides bloom color throughout April and May. Then, you can enjoy the silver variegation on the leaves the rest of the summer.
Maintenance requirements: Brunnera will go dormant in the winter and should be cut back to the ground each spring (March or early April) to make way for new growth. If you don’t want to look at the brown/black leaves throughout the winter, you can do your cut back in late fall instead.
Hakonechloa
Type: perennial grass
Maintenance requirements: Hakonechloa will go dormant in the winter and should be cut back to the ground each spring (March or early April) to make way for new growth. The grass leaves will lose their green color and will dry in early winter - this will provide winter interest in your garden.
Ferns
Type: perennial - some are evergreen, depending on the variety. Native varieties are available.
Maintenance requirements: For ferns that go dormant in the winter, you can clean up or cut back foliage to the ground each spring (March or early April).
Boxwood
Type: evergreen shrub
Maintenance requirements: Boxwoods usually require trimming 1-2x per year to keep their shape. Usually, my first prune is in May or June, and a second prune can be done in September. You can prune as tightly or loosely as you want, depending on whether you want a more formal or more natural look to the shrub.
Still not sure what will actually work in your garden? That’s where I come in. My garden design consultations are perfect for Pittsburgh-area homeowners who want confident, deer-proof planting decisions without the guesswork. Whether you're planning to DIY or hire help, I’ll provide a personalized planting plan that works for your yard’s sun, shade, soil, and deer pressure.
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