I keep the deer out of the garden by planting stuff they don't like--artemisia (silver mounds), speedwell, marigolds, Russian sage, lilies, and lilacs seem to work for me. Mountain ash is supposed to work according to the books but doesn't seem to.
I've been getting a LOT of free plant catalogues and am having to realistically look at what I could/should get. I don't have enough yard for all that I want to try.
Although I'm vey tempted by this "non-invasive" bamboo. I could put it betwixt me and the neighbors...
Most of that stuff wouldn't have done much in my shaded yard. Also I had a lot of root competition going on too but I could get impatiens to grow and hosta in some spots. The deer eat all that and even ate my daylilies. I kinda felt like Porky Pig when the chickens were bringing cafeteria trays into his garden.