Oh, Jeff, how terrible!! Can you put out a bunny buffet at the other end of the yard?

Sherry

gardennatlanta, here's how you tell. If it was a deer, horse, cow, etc., they would be just bitten off. Not a clean bite, just pretty much torn. If it was a rodent (squirrel, rat, rabbit) the "cuts" are prefect 45 degree angles as if you cut them off with pruning shears. I presume that is what you were referring to when you said the plants looked as if they were pruned? Kim

Put a hoop of wire fencing around the stubs. If it is rabbits, they come back and eat the same plant until it is totally gone. It's a rabbit habit.

It's EXACTLY the 45 degree angle that you describe, Roseseek!

I'll get out there this afternoon right after work and set up the little fences. Thanks, Hoovb.

Dwat that wascaly wabbit. No bunny buffet for him! It took a long time to find a Sutter's Gold--one that my wife wanted--and she doesn't usually ask me to to buy more roses!

Jeff, another method that works is to take rose prunings (I always save some for this purpose) and pile them in a ring around endangered plants. The bunnies look for easier pickings. I've also had success with using branches from rosemary bushes. I think they may not like the scent. Alas, presenting them with a buffet doesn't always work. I routinely leave my kitchen scraps in the same area under a tree far away from the roses and they're always eaten, but I think they may prefer roses for dessert. Darn wabbits!

Ingrid

Yup, you have rodents. It could either be squirrel, rabbit or mice/rats. All create the same symptoms. There is one on the hill out back who loves anything I put there. I have "affectionately" named it "Purina", in hopes it will soon become either "finally useful" as fertilizer or as coyote chow. I accidentally discovered it LOVES Queen Palm Fronds. I cut some which were discolored and left them on the ground for later removal. Purina chowed down on them like a crack addict on fresh crack! LOL! I wish I had soaked them with something poisonous!

Yes, Ingrid, scent is the primary deterrent to the vermin. Most herbivores rely primarily on their sense of smell for protection. They avoid strongly scented plants because it "jams their radar" by preventing them from smelling predators. When I worked in Pacific Palisades, deer were the worst problem. One client had a well fenced rear garden which had full access down one side he couldn't fence because the Fire Department required access in case of emergency. The deer used it nightly to eat his smorgasbord. There was a long run, about ten feet wide and with nearly full sun. I suggested planting a dense hedge of rosemary on both the fence and house sides the full length of the run. It allowed access to the rear area but created a "no fly zone" for the deer. The rosemary scent was so strong, they didn't even try to venture in to forage. Another found just planting rosemary, lavender and santolina at their driveway and front walk kept the deer from entering through their fences. There wasn't enough room for them to jump the fences and the front sidewalk and curb were too close to jump out, so the animals just didn't come in, though they had browsed their front garden for many years. Planting stinky and toxic plants at entrances and as a buffer around valued plants can many times prevent them from being "on the menu", as long as you have enough room, they're climatically suitable and YOU can tolerate them.

I've never had any success in planting things just for the rabbits and squirrels. Providing them resources trigger then to reproduce in greater quantities so there are MORE of them. And, once they find good eats, they seem to invite all their friends and relatives! LOL!

I put up the little "fence" around the two roses, covered them up with leaves and am considering going to the local nursery and buying a potted rosemary to put inside the fence.

Thanks for your help. I really hope that they both come back from the roots--both still have the one little green stem.

You'll be surprised how little of the plant needs to remain for them to come back. My first Stanwell Perpetual was a one gallon I planted then heavily mulched with horse manure. The blamed rabbits ate it to below ground level the first night. I KNEW it was a gonner. A little while later, a single flower of it appeared among the road apples! It grew well and became a real gorgeous plant. Just keep the vermin from continuing to munch on them and they should be fine. Kim

Kim, that's really interesting. Thanks for telling us. Hope the rodents leave, Jeff.

I have rabbits. I put up cages of sticks around my youngest plants which helps as long as the sticks stay in place. Just recently I have been scattering some wood ashes around, thinking maybe rabbits wouldn't like the smell. I've thought about feeding the rabbits but don't want a population explosion any worse than it already is. Have thought about trapping them and relocating them but I imagine them happy in my garden and so I sort of hate to kick them out. They don't seem to bother mature plants.

gardennatlanta, please don't feel like you have to go buy rosemary. I have at least 7 mature plants, you can come and cut loads of it and stick it in the soil around your rose babies if you need to!