Right off the bat, I’d recommend a few evergreen plans – these are also known to be hardy in tougher conditions if that is a concern for you. Though it doesn’t have thorny leaves, Linebacker Distylium would be a perfect solution. Once established, it can tolerate a wide range of conditions including drought. It grows fast and matures 8-10′ x 6-8′. Another plant to consider is Sky High Juniper. Again, no thorns, but it wouldn’t be much fun for deer to walk through a hedge of junipers. It tolerates dry soil conditions and matures 12-15′.
If you’re looking for a blooming shrub, deer aren’t quite as fond as viburnums. You could try Opening Day Viburnums. They have round, white baseball size flowers, somewhat comparable to hydrangeas. The flower buds have a tint of green, similar to hydrangeas, and open pure white. The green foliate has beautiful burgundy fall foliage!
For more options, the First Editions website has a listing of shrubs that are deer resistant. Your local garden center should be able to help you with other recommendations.
Happy Gardening!
