Compact, deep green Alpine Currant "Green Mound" (Ribes alpinum 'Green Mound') is Tegland's go-to foundation plant. "This shrub does really well in the shade," she says. "It'll also stay nice and compact with a little pruning. I've almost never seen a deer eat it."

Unlike many arborvitae, Thuja occidentalis doesn't appeal to most deer. A natural for backdrops and borders, it grows in a trim, vertical shape you can use to create a dense hedgerow or living fence, Coker says.

A favorite with our experts, barberry (Berberis spp.) has thorns that deer tend to avoid. "It's trickier for pruning because of the thorns, but there are some really great barberries out there in a lot of different colors, so you can use them in a lot of different spots," Tegland says.

Beautiful boxwood (Buxus) contains alkaloids that are distasteful to deer. The stuff of hedges and elaborate topiaries, boxwood also makes a great foundation shrub because it stays green all year round, remains compact, and likes full shade, says Tegland. In her region, USDA Zone 4, keeping these broadleaf evergreens close to the house also helps protect them from winter sun and wind.

Ornamental, hardy, and self-reliant, butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii) brings the whole package to a landscape. Coker likes its range of bloom colors, including blues, purples, pinks, reds, oranges, yellows, and whites. And while humans and pollinators love this deciduous shrub's fragrance, which ranges from honey to lilac, it's a turn-off to deer. Of note: A prolific reseeder, butterfly bush is considered a noxious weed in some regions.

What good Southerner wouldn't give a shout-out to crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica)? This shrub graces parks, landscapes, and highways throughout the region with showy blooms from July to September. Coker's a fan, especially of dark-leaf cultivars like 'Delta Jazz' and 'Sequoyah.' Most varieties put on gorgeous fall color shows, too.

Also known as Siberian Arborvitae, ground-hugging Microbiota decussate is a go-to for Tegland on hillsides and among boulders. An evergreen, it has soft, fine-textured, olive-green foliage that turns mahogany brown in the fall. It's wind tolerant and does well in sun or shade. Better still: "I've never seen a deer eat one," she says.

Spiraea spp. comes in a range of colors and sizes, from big, old-fashioned bridal wreath (Spiraea prunifolia), with its cascading clusters of tiny white flowers, to tiny 'Golden Elf,' at just 6 to 8 inches tall. Depending on the species, spirea makes an elegant focal point or tidy accent shrub.

Known for being deer-resistant, Stephanandra incisa yields showy white flowers, which bloom on coral stems among maple-like leaves on arching branches. In fall, leaves turn yellow and orange. It's a great choice in a rocky boulder area and it'll really hold a hillside for you, says Tegland.

If you're looking for a conversation piece, this eye-catcher is the shrub for you. And while you can prune weeping white pine (Pinus strobus 'pendula') to keep it low, it will also grow tall enough to stand out all winter long, even in deep snow. "While the deer will eat a balsam fir, they almost never eat a white pine," says Tegland.