Sorry, ment to post on a Perennials forum.

Another deer avoided perennial would be Asclepias. I have several varieties and none have ever been bothered by deer or rabbits even though these eating machines go through my yard daily/nightly. Someone above mentioned Potentilla. Deer do snack on my P. Monarch's Velvet early in the growing season. Just tends to keep the plant at a more reasonable size, so it is ok with me. Keeps me from having to pinch it back. The same with Montauk Daisy. Deer nibble the newer spring growth of this fall blooming daisy, but stop at the right time to let the plant grow to a nice sized mound with little help from me. I am going to suggest Geraniums also. I also have several varieties of Perennial Geraniums that have never been touched by deer.

Stachys byzantina 'Helen von Stein' (big ears) is my favorite and it has never bloomed. The smaller ones bloom and then they (to me) are a mess to deadhead and keep neat looking compared to big ears. Here's one of mine with a rose campion pretending to bloom out of it. :-) Thyme is also good. If you like lime/bright, the spirea 'Limemound' is a great little thing when used as a companion with plants of blue foliage/blooms. I have it beside a nepeta. I wish I could send you some of my creeping perennial heliotrope 'Azure Skies' as it blooms not stop from spring until frost. A great groundcover that resembles verbena. Totally deer and rabbit proof. It even floats across my stream and can take full sun or partial shade. A few plants and you can keep taking cuttings to create as much as you want.

I'm located in southern ny and have been working on a wildlife garden - heavily influenced by natives for a few years now. Most of my plants are used by pollinators - for nectar, or host. and the birds are quite fond of the fruiting shrubs. I have lots of shade, some deer and in one area black walnut trees (note: not all plants listed below are growing with the walnuts). I'll share what has worked for me: small to medium trees - both volunteers here: Celtis occidentalis hackberry Prunus serotina black cherry shrubbery - these were purchased: elderberry (sambucus), lindera - may get a nibble, but not decimated by deer. this year I added some ninebark starts. I've read that deer will nibble on these, but they will come back from it . I am also trying some cornus (red twig dogwood). many say the deer like these - I have some low-tech deterrents in place - branches and such. I am hoping they'll be okay until they get a bit larger. There seems to be some conflicting information online as to deer preference for the cornus - time where tell where my plants fit. I was debating these plants for a while, but figured I'd give 'em a shot this year. A somewhat protected Amelanchier (serviceberry) is doing well. and the deer seem uninterested in my itea - it is planted up close to the house, tho. flowers/perennials all volunteers unless otherwise specified: Since pulling out the garlic mustard in the area, I have a lot of the native annual jewelweed which the deer do enjoy. I mention it because I suspect they may be more interested in this than things they don't find as tasty. I do tend to pull some of this out as the season progresses - but between the deer and myself, there's still some flowering later on. The other annual i welcome (considered weedy to some) is three-seed mercury. deer don't touch this, and it always looks perky. other native volunteers for me that may be considered weedy by some - Circaea (enchanters nightshade), geum white avens, white wood aster, viola, virginia knotweed, and sensitive fern. these are the "rabbits" of my garden they are very assertive and help hold down the fort from garlic mustard and other nasties. of these, the circaea and asters do get a nibble - but the "pruning" makes for a lusher bloom. I also leave a lot of the poke weed that pops up - this too gets nibbled, but will still bloom and fruit. and how can I forget - jack in the pulpit. my solomons seal gets nibbled early in it's growth if unprotected (branches placed around it), but the deer seem to leave it alone when larger. I also have some deer tongue grass in the sunnier locations - deer leave this alone. purchases: milkweed - incarnata, and joepye weed can both take some shade. joe pye gets nibbled a little too, but I get the same results as with the aster - not decimated, just a bushier look. native geranium, celandine poppy, christmas fern, bloodroot, cardinal flower, great blue lobelia, Agastache, and echinacea all seem un touched. vines: wild grape, virginia creeper, and poison ivy I think that about covers it - sorry for being so long-winded, but know what a pain it can be to constantly cross reference shade tolerance and deer resistance lists (I would still recommend checking to see if native to your area). I would suggest also posting in the native plants forum here. I think you'll get a greater response. another suggestion would be wildlifegardeners.org good luck Here is a link that might be useful: natives forum / gardenweb