Kes -- I don't know whether this solution is reasonable for you, or not. But we have, not voles, but gophers. (Western Pocket gopher)

I know EXACTLY what you mean when you talk about finding a big mature rose laying on its side with no roots. We have had it happen many times, and for the last 20 years or so, we have planted roses inside pots, in the ground.

We're talkin' 15- to 20-Gal. "Squat" pots, with many, many 3/4" to 1" holes drilled in them.

Just as an example . . . This 'Gloire des Rosomanes' was bet. 5- and 6-ft. tall when I found it laying flat on the ground, with no remaining roots . . .

It was an own root plant, so we picked it up, soaked the bottom of it in water for a couple of days, and then potted it into a 20-G pot (with holes).

The rose never looked back, and it's now about 8-ft. tall. Gophers can nibble here and there, I suppose, but they really can't get to the main root ball.

That is so wonderful to hear, Jeri, that your roses could make a comeback.

Here, exactly like you and Jeri reported, Kes, I had 6 roses keel over with gophers eating the entire roots. This happened January to March 2021 and after soaking overnight I potted them and they are making a comeback and starting to bloom.

I plan on planting them in 5 gallon rose wire root cages so the gophers will be frustrated. Jeri's 20 gal pot idea is probably even safer. They even are all going to bloom!

We are killing gophers with a Gopher Hawk too. 20 so far in 2021 and 33 last year. I wish you luck with your rescue, even if you want to plant another rose there.

Hermosa here.

Thanks, everyone, for sharing your own bad luck and what you did to combat it. It gives me some hope that I might be able to salvage some of mine.

Jeri, six roses! It hurts to hear it. It was painful enough to lose 5 in two weeks. Everything I currently have is own root (well, when they actually had roots) so maybe I have a shot. Do I understand correctly that you put the rose in a pot and then the pot in the ground? It seems a big hole to dig to bury a 20 gallon pot but then I plant trees and that is the same size hole, more or less. As barriers go, that one should last as long as the rose.

Sheila, also six! What is it about that number? It makes me nervous since they only took out 5 of mine. I remember when you described what had happened but forgot that you lost so many. Do you make the wire cages yourself or did you buy them? Thanks for sharing your photo of Hermosa.

Yes, Kes. That is a BIG hole. (And it's essential to drill many many holes in it.) It does, yes, need a BIG hole, but once in the ground, it's impregnable. What's more, we have dug some up, years later, and we have re-used those pots. Plastic, after all, lasts forever.

I wouldn't even consider doing something like this in most circumstances, but Western Pocket Gophers are positively LEGION all through these hills. In a flood, my husband once watched one of them swim down the street! And poison is out of the question.

Here's a photo of a rose recently planted this way. You can JUST see the upper rim of the pot:

Kes, this is what I bought (amazon) and plan to replant in probably this Fall. I hope these roses can move past this and completely recover. They look good now.

They also come in larger sizes.

Here's another look at that same bush . . . just now . . . and you can see the rim of the pot more easily. This is 5 years later, and the bush has many open blooms . . . and is covered with buds, ready to open.

I'm really hoping for the best for your roses, Kes. I did replant my plants in those wire baskets I posted about last week and they had nice rootballs again after their ICU experience in pots. It really was a miracle. We have also caught 29 gophers so far 2021 with the Gopher Hawk. The rim above ground on the wire baskets should block voles too. Best of luck!

Good luck, Kes! You are a trooper!! 🤞🤞🤞

Sheila, you are one of the most resourceful gardeners on the forum. A gopher hawk! My daughter and I watch a British hawk trainer YouTuber. She’s great! She rescues and/or raises raptors like falcons, hawks and owls. Carol

That is so great, Carol. I welcome hawks, owls and would a falcon but my Gopher Hawk is a trap/gopher killer I got on line, so I'm not up to the Brits' level, that is for sure. The post gopher attack rescue of the rootless roses did really thrill me.

Ha, ha. Oh, yes. A trap. That makes sense! 😊