We've all been there - you work so hard to plant the gorgeous garden you've always dreamed of, just for your plans to be foiled by hungry (albeit adorable) critters. While no plant can truly be guaranteed to be "deer or rabbit PROOF," we've put together this guide to help you pick the best plants for your gardens.

In this guide, we'll be going over some of our favorite deer & rabbit resistant annuals. We're going by the Rutgers rating system and showing you our favorite plants that are rarely damaged and seldom severely damaged. For further reference, click here to check out the full list from Rutgers!

Tip: deer and rabbits tend to avoid plants that have textured leaves (think fuzzy, spiky, or rippled) or strong scents. This is not a definitive guide, but it's helpful to keep in mind when selecting your plants!

 ⬇️ Rarely Damaged Annuals ⬇️

The following list is our team's favorite annuals that are rarely damaged by deer & rabbits.

Flower Name	Photo Example
Ageratum (Floss Flower) Height: Varies, 6-12" Full to Part Sun
Flowering Vinca Height: 6-8" Full to Part Sun Heat & Drought Tolerant
Dusty Miller Height: 8 - 15" Full Sun Drought & Heat Tolerant
Nicotiana (Flowering Tobacco) Height: Varies - 6 - 48" Full Sun Strong scent after dusk
Heliotrope  Height: 12 - 48" Full Sun Vanilla-like scented flowers
Cleome (Spider Flower) Height: Varies, 12 - 48" Full Sun
Strawflower Height: Varies, 12 - 48" Full Sun Great for cut flower gardens
Sweet Alyssum Height: 3-10" Full to Part Sun

 ⬇️ Seldom Severely Damaged Annuals ⬇️

The following list is our team's favorite annuals that are seldomly severely damaged by deer & rabbits.

Flower Name	Example Photo
Celosia Height: 3-10" Full to Part Sun
Lantana Height: 3-10" Full to Part Sun Pollinator-friendly
French Marigolds Height: 6-12" Full Sun Heat & Drought Tolerant
Lobelia Height: 6-9" Full to Part Sun
Nasturtium Height: Varies, 6-12"+ Full to Part Sun Edible
Zinnias Height: Varies, 6-48" Full Sun Taller varieties great for cut flowers

This is by no means an exhaustive list, and of course when animals are hungry they will snack on whatever they can find. These lists contain the plants our staff and customers have reportedly had the most success with here in Monmouth County, New Jersey.