Groundhogs magically leaving plants alone.

Hello,
So when I first started getting into gardening (in spring of 2020), i had planted some pumpkins. They got destroyed by the groundhogs that live in the area. I would wake up to leaves being eaten and the plants did not make it because of this destruction.
The year after, spring of 2021, I have squash, beets, kale, beans, tomatoes and other plants that are thriving. There is minimal groundhog damage. I used the permaculture principle of planting herbs like mint, lavendar, lemonbalm etc. alongside other susceptible vegetation. I also had a thicket of wildflowers surrounding my yard. I had also left some edible weeds (like Lamb's quarter) grow wild in a section. Could doing all this really have made such a significant difference? What could have contributed most to keeping these groundhogs form destroying my plants: planting herbs alongside, wildflower screens, wild edible weed like Lamb's quarter that the groundhogs enjoy (and hence leave other plants alone)?
Just curious and want to learn!
Thanks!

Most likely the groundhogs don't like the smell of the herbs like  mint, lavendar, lemonbalm etc.

Though, who knows?

My previous garden had a year round groundhog & in spring times an entire groundhog family living about 20 yards away. The main thing they liked to dig up/destroy was potatoes & any meat or bones that were buried. I don't recall them bothering anything else, including pumpkins. I also had flowers & herbs randomly growing among the vegetables. So maybe that's it.