I have a section of shaded garden next to a fence that is under attack. The entire fenceline has large, mature Italian Cypress on my side of the fence, and on the other side of the fence my neighbor has large wood sheds. Many plants along this fence are getting eaten to the base. Examples:

* My Star Jasmine on a trellis has almost 90% of its leaves chewed off and eaten

* My Japanese Grasses are chewed down to the roots and mostly gone

* My Clytostoma callistigioides vine with beautiful purple flowers cannot grow more than two feet high because all of the vine growth above that height is instantly chewed off

* My beautiful trailing Nasturtiums in a large concrete container have been eaten clean, down to the base.

Does this sound like Squirrel damage or Rat damage? The presence of the Italian Cypress and wood sheds makes me think I am facing a nightly army of Rats. If I didn't know better, I would think a family of deer came through, but we have no deer in my neighborhood. Other animals that frequent this area would be: Possum, Raccoon, Grey Fox, Mice.