Few things are more disappointing than waking up to find your favorite flowers nibbled down overnight. Rabbits may look harmless, but they can make quick work of flower beds, especially in spring when fresh growth is tender and plentiful.
While no plant is completely rabbit-proof, many are far less appealing because of their scent, texture, or natural compounds. Adding a mix of these plants to your garden can help reduce rabbit damage while filling your landscape with color and variety.
Lavender (Lavandula)
Lavender is a favorite for gardeners and pollinators, but rabbits usually give it a pass. Its strong fragrance and aromatic oils are pleasant to people but much less appealing to hungry rabbits.
The fragrant purple blooms add color throughout the growing season and are just as useful in dried arrangements as they are in the garden.
Marigolds (Tagetes)
Marigolds are known for their bright yellow, orange, and red flowers, but their strong scent is what makes them especially useful around the garden.
Many gardeners plant them along borders or near vegetables and flowers that rabbits find tempting. They’re easy to grow, bloom for months, and require very little care once established.
Foxglove (Digitalis)
Foxglove produces tall flower spikes covered with bell-shaped blooms in shades of pink, purple, white, and cream.
Rabbits usually avoid this plant because it contains compounds that are toxic if eaten. While that helps protect it from browsing animals, gardeners should also keep foxglove away from curious pets and small children.
Yarrow (Achillea)
Yarrow is a hardy perennial that handles dry conditions with ease. Its feathery foliage and clusters of tiny flowers make it a colorful addition to flower beds and borders.
The plant’s texture isn’t particularly appealing to rabbits, making it a reliable choice in gardens where they are common.
Catnip (Nepeta)
Cats may love catnip, but rabbits generally stay away from it.
The plant’s minty scent and fuzzy leaves make it less attractive to browsing animals. Soft lavender flowers also bring bees and butterflies into the garden throughout the growing season.
Peonies (Paeonia)
Peonies are prized for their large, fragrant blooms that return year after year.
While gardeners eagerly wait for the flowers to open each spring, rabbits usually leave the plants alone. Their foliage has a bitter taste that makes it much less tempting than other garden favorites.
Bee Balm (Monarda)
Bee balm earns its name by attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds with its colorful blooms.
Its mint-like fragrance tends to discourage rabbits, making it a good companion plant in flower beds. Available in shades of red, pink, purple, and white, it brings plenty of color during the summer months.
Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia)
Russian sage is valued for its silvery foliage and airy purple flower spikes.
Its strong scent and woody stems make it one of the plants rabbits usually ignore. Since it also tolerates heat and dry soil, it’s a dependable choice for gardeners looking for low-maintenance plants.
Salvia (Salvia officinalis)
Salvia does double duty in the garden. Some varieties are grown as culinary herbs, while others are planted for their colorful flowers.
The fragrant leaves are one reason rabbits tend to avoid it. Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, on the other hand, are often drawn to its long-lasting blooms.
Daffodils (Narcissus)
Daffodils are among the first flowers to bloom each spring, bringing welcome color after winter.
Because the bulbs and foliage contain compounds that are toxic to rabbits and many other animals, these flowers are usually left untouched. They’re an excellent choice for gardeners who want dependable spring blooms with little worry about rabbit damage.
Snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus)
Snapdragons bring height and bright color to flower beds with blossoms that bloom in nearly every shade.
Their slightly bitter taste and sturdy stems make them less appealing to rabbits than many other flowering plants. They’re especially useful for adding vertical interest to mixed borders.
Lamb’s Ear (Stachys byzantina)
Lamb’s ear stands out because of its soft, silvery leaves that almost feel like velvet.
While people enjoy touching the fuzzy foliage, rabbits usually avoid its unusual texture. The plant spreads into attractive ground cover and pairs well with colorful flowering perennials.
Coneflowers (Echinacea)
Coneflowers have become a favorite in home gardens thanks to their long bloom season and ability to attract pollinators.
Their rough leaves and prickly seed heads aren’t particularly inviting to rabbits. Once the flowers fade, the seed heads often attract birds, giving the garden another source of interest.
Allium (Allium spp.)
Members of the onion family are well known for their distinctive scent, and rabbits generally avoid them because of it.
Alliums produce eye-catching globe-shaped flowers in shades of purple, pink, white, and blue that rise above the rest of the garden on tall stems. Their unusual shape adds variety to flower beds while helping discourage hungry visitors.
