Deer Are Just Creatures of Habit (Just Like Us)

I hadn’t seen a single deer in our garden for 25 years.

And then, just when winter was turning to spring —there they were. A small group of roe deer, calm and confident, walked right past our porch like it was the most natural thing in the world.

I’ll admit it: I was a little enchanted at first. But I also knew what might come next.

Because once deer find your garden, they remember it.

If you’ve ever had your tulips disappear overnight or found bite marks on your roses, you know exactly what I mean.

Why deer return—again and again

Deer aren’t all that different from us, really. They like routines, familiar routes, and easy meals.

And once they discover a garden that feels safe and well-stocked, they don’t just forget it. They return, often season after season, checking in like regulars at their favorite café.

One of the biggest draws? Fallen fruit.

Apples, especially the kind that collect under trees in early autumn. While we often think about clearing them up to prevent rodents (which is a good idea!), the same logic applies to deer. If they find food in fall, they’ll remember your garden when winter sets in - even when the menus change.

So even if your flower beds are safe now, it’s worth taking steps before deer show up—because prevention is so much easier than trying to undo a bad habit they’ve already picked up.

Small routines, big difference

A few simple, seasonal habits can make a surprising difference:

1. Collect fallen fruit as soon as possible in late summer and early fall.
2. Avoid planting known deer favorites right near your garden’s edge or entrances. (Hello, our yews!)
3. Break their patterns by changing up fencing, lighting, or scents.

Speaking of scents... one client of mine had a wonderfully creative approach. When we were working on her garden plan, she told me how she’d been spraying her front shrubs (the ones deer used as a gateway) with her old perfume. Not just once, but regularly.

Apparently, it worked. The deer stopped coming through.

Even better? Neighbors started complimenting her shrubs—thinking the floral scent was from the blooms themselves. A win-win if you ask me.

Want to make your garden feel less like a snack bar?

If you’re gardening near a wooded edge—or even just want low-effort plants that don’t scream Eat me! to the local wildlife—I’ve got something to help.

Download my free guide: 12 Easy Plants to Start Your Woodland Edge Border

It’s filled with beautiful, tough, and easy-to-love plants that work with nature (instead of fighting it every season). Even better? Most of them aren’t on a deer’s favorites list.

Because gardening with wildlife nearby doesn’t have to mean giving up the garden you want.

What’s next?

Get the free plant guide here – it’s a great starting point if you’re planting near trees, paths, or the forest edge of your garden.

Or keep reading: How To Merge The Forest in The Backyard With Your Garden – for those of us who dream of softness, dappled light, and fewer nibbled hostas.