3/31/2026 – When Deer are Not Invited to Your Garden Buffet

The Delaware Valley is a lush and beautiful place to live and garden. The features of the landscape that people admire most are exactly what draw in deer that have been forced out of their natural habitats. These gentle creatures are not villains, but their massive overpopulation in this area is problematic. The number one question our Native Garden Guides encounter at the Preserve’s Native Plant Nursery Marketplace is “which plants will the deer not eat?”

The list below includes a few of the deer (and rabbit) resistant plants that will be available at the Nursery on opening weekend, beginning April 9 for members only and April 10 for the public. Many more deer-resistant plants will be available throughout the season. Also, some local gardeners have had good luck creating a deer barrier by surrounding plants that are not deer-resistant with plants that deer generally avoid, such as mountain mints (Pycnanthemum spp.), native plants in the onion family (Allium spp.), shrubby St. John’s wort (Hypericum prolificum) or thorny shrubs.

Deer-Resistant Plants Available at Nursery Opening:
· Eastern Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)
· Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
· Bee balm (Monarda spp.)
· Golden ragwort (Packera aurea)
· Virginia mountain mint and short-toothed mountain mint (Pycnanthemum spp.)

Our Native Garden Guides and Nursery staff members are looking forward to helping you with plant selection and answering your questions during opening weekend and beyond. We love helping new and experienced gardeners create native habitats that nurture pollinators and wildlife.