A deer proof garden is a garden that deer cannot easily enter, or one where the plants they like are protected and the plants they avoid are planted instead. Deer are beautiful animals, but in a garden they eat roses, tulips, hostas, vegetables and young trees, trample beds, and strip bark in winter. Once deer learn that a garden is a reliable source of food, they return regularly, often at dawn and dusk when nobody is watching. This guide covers humane fencing and deterrents only — no lethal advice — and explains how to combine them so your garden survives.
The first step is to confirm that deer are the problem. Deer damage is distinctive: plants are eaten from the top down, with ragged, torn edges where deer have pulled leaves off, because deer have no upper front teeth and tear rather than cut. Hoof prints, droppings, and trails through long grass are other signs. Rabbits, by contrast, cut stems cleanly at a low height, and slugs leave slime trails — see our rabbit proof garden guide if the damage is low down and clean-cut, and our slug control guide for slug damage. Our deer in garden guide covers identifying deer damage and deer behaviour in more detail.
Fencing: the only reliable method
Fencing is the only method that reliably keeps deer out of a garden, and it needs to be tall. Deer can jump a standard garden fence easily, so a deer fence needs to be high — in general, a fence of about 2.4 metres is the height most gardeners and wildlife agencies recommend for keeping deer out, and some gardeners use a double fence: two lower fences a metre or so apart, which deer are reluctant to jump because they cannot see a clear landing. A solid fence gives privacy as well as protection, while a wire mesh fence is cheaper, lets light through, and is less visible in the landscape. Whatever the material, the fence must be complete: deer will find and use any gap, so check gates, corners and the base regularly, and make sure the gate is kept shut. A fence with a gap in it is not a deer fence.
Electric fencing is another humane option, and it is used by many gardeners and smallholders. A low electric fence, properly installed and clearly signed, gives deer a mild shock that teaches them to stay away, without harming them. It needs to be installed and maintained correctly, and it is not suitable for every garden — check your local rules before you install one, and keep it out of reach of children and pets. If you are unsure which fencing suits your garden, check your local extension service for advice, and see our garden fencing guide for fence types and construction in general terms.
Deterrents that help — and their limits
Deterrents can reduce deer damage, but none of them works reliably on its own, and deer get used to most of them over time. Motion-activated sprinklers startle deer with a burst of water when they approach, and they work well for a while, especially when they are moved regularly so deer do not learn where they are. Motion-activated lights can help at night, but deer soon ignore a light that does nothing else. Scent deterrents — commercial deer repellents, soap, human hair, and other strong smells — can make a plant less appealing, but they wash off in rain, they need reapplying often, and a hungry deer will eat through them. Homemade sprays based on garlic, chilli or egg are sometimes used, but they are not reliable, they need frequent reapplying, and they should never be sprayed on food crops you are about to eat without washing the crop thoroughly first.
Noise deterrents such as wind chimes, radios and ultrasonic devices have very limited effect: deer learn quickly that a noise with no consequence is not a threat. Dogs can deter deer, especially a dog that is out in the garden at dawn and dusk, but a dog that chases deer can itself be a danger to the deer and to the dog, and it is not a solution for a garden where the dog is indoors most of the day. The honest summary is that deterrents are a useful supplement to a fence, not a substitute for one: use them to protect a few prized plants while the fence does the main job.
Deer-resistant planting
Planting choices can reduce deer damage, though no plant is truly deer-proof: a hungry deer in winter will eat almost anything. Deer tend to avoid plants with strong scents, such as lavender, rosemary, sage, thyme and mint; plants with fuzzy or prickly leaves, such as lamb's ear, thistles and barberry; and plants with toxic or bitter sap, such as daffodils, foxgloves and hellebores. They tend to love roses, tulips, hostas, lilies, beans, peas, lettuce and young fruit trees, so protect those with fencing, netting or individual covers, or grow them inside a fenced area. Our guides for growing lavender, growing rosemary and growing thyme cover the scented herbs deer tend to avoid, and growing tulips covers a bulb deer love — plant tulips inside a fenced area or in pots near the house, where deer are less bold.
Protect individual plants and trees even inside a fenced garden. Young trees need a guard around the trunk to stop deer stripping bark in winter, and young shrubs and roses can be protected with netting or a wire cage. Netting must be fixed firmly and checked regularly, because a loose net can trap birds and other wildlife — use a rigid mesh guard rather than loose netting where you can, and remove netting once the plant is established. If you are unsure which plants deer avoid in your area, check your local extension service, because deer preferences vary by region and by season.
Living with deer
A garden in deer country will never be completely deer-proof without a fence, so it helps to accept some damage and plan around it. Grow the plants deer love inside a fenced vegetable garden or close to the house, where deer are less likely to venture, and fill the outer garden with plants they tend to avoid. Plant extra of the things deer eat, so there is enough for both you and the deer, or accept that some plants — hostas and tulips in particular — may be eaten in a bad year. Do not feed deer, because feeding them teaches them that your garden is a food source and brings more of them, and do not leave fallen fruit on the ground, which attracts deer and other animals. If deer are a serious problem in your area, talk to your neighbours: a fence that protects one garden but not the next will push the deer next door, and a coordinated approach works better for everyone.
Common mistakes
The most common deer proofing mistakes are building a fence that is too low, leaving a gap in the fence or a gate open, relying on a single deterrent such as a spray or a light, planting deer favourites in an unfenced garden, and using loose netting that traps wildlife. Another is assuming that a plant labelled deer-resistant is deer-proof: in a hard winter, a hungry deer will eat almost anything. The fix is to fence properly and completely, use deterrents as a supplement, protect prized plants individually, and plant deer-resistant species in the outer garden. A garden that combines all of these is far more likely to survive than one that relies on a single method.
Frequently asked questions
How high does a fence need to be to keep deer out?
In general, about 2.4 metres is the height most gardeners and wildlife agencies recommend for a deer fence, because deer can jump a standard garden fence easily. A double fence — two lower fences a metre or so apart — is another option, because deer are reluctant to jump it without a clear landing. Check your local rules before you build, because height limits vary by area.
Do deer repellent sprays work?
They can reduce damage for a while, especially on a few prized plants, but they wash off in rain, they need reapplying often, and a hungry deer will eat through them. They are a useful supplement to a fence, not a substitute for one. Never spray a food crop you are about to eat without washing it thoroughly first.
What plants do deer avoid?
Deer tend to avoid strongly scented plants such as lavender, rosemary, sage and thyme, fuzzy or prickly plants such as lamb's ear and barberry, and plants with bitter or toxic sap such as daffodils and foxgloves. No plant is truly deer-proof, and a hungry deer in winter will eat almost anything, so plant these in the outer garden and protect the plants deer love.
Will a dog keep deer away?
A dog that is out in the garden at dawn and dusk can deter deer, but a dog that is indoors most of the day will not, and a dog that chases deer can be a danger to itself and to the deer. A dog is a useful supplement to a fence, not a substitute for one.
Are motion-activated sprinklers effective against deer?
They work well for a while, because the burst of water startles deer. Move them regularly so deer do not learn where they are, and use them to protect a few prized plants while a fence does the main job. Like all deterrents, they lose effectiveness over time as deer get used to them.