In fact, roses are a favorite food of deer. The late March issue of the My Deer Garden newsletter will feature Rugosa roses as the plant of the month. Deer will still nibble on these roses, but not to as great extent as most other kinds of roses. So be sure to sign-up for the newsletter if you haven't already. In Victorian gardens planting lavender with roses was a classic combination.
Lavender is a deer deterrent.
Deer hate it so much that they usually go out of their way to avoid it. There are no guarantees with nature, but if you really want roses and have deer you best bet is to plant lavender near Rugosa roses. When the late March newsletter comes out I will also be posting a new free design on the web site. This design will be for a Rugosa rose garden. It uses lots of lavender and other deer deterrent plants to help ward off the deer.