Rabbits or a Groundhog... same thing happened to mine last year. Sigh.

That's what I wondered this morning when I noticed something chomped off the scabiosa buds and the leaves of Stokes aster...

I know who/what ate mine. Last night I was doing my nightly garden tour and right there in front of me about 10' away was a cute little bunny with a mouthful of my brand new delphinium. He did not seem too concerned that I was there. He just kept eating. I might note, he was not a very neat eater, he had my leaves hanging from both sides of his mouth.

So I continued to search my garden and low and behold, my brand new hollyhocks have leaves missing. I have been trying for several years to get these plants established.

The dog is useless. She thinks they are her friends. So I took some nursery pots, cut out the bottoms and placed them over the plants in the hopes that it will save the plants from any further damage. I also put out toilet bowl sanitizer cakes in the hopes the smell will deter them.

I dread my morning tour. Wondering what will be missing next. It better not be my astillbe!!!

Diane

Bunnies. They're cute, fuzzy, cuddly creatures of EVIL. All my zebra hollyhock seedlings are a thing of the past now thanks to my new.... friend....

Forget dogs...toddlers strike fear into their dark cuddly hearts. My kids scream BUNNNNY! and run out with open arms, giving the little monsters a heart attack.

Incidentally, though, they seem more interested in our lawn weeds than in the garden. Haven't shown any interest in the astilbe nor even the hosta bed (yet). Good bunnies...

I want to add that deer ate the colourful plumes on the caps of my astilbe last year. They had also chomped several leaves. Ahh deer. I have not had to deal with bunnies yet. There was a local cat that killed them all, but the family moved and the cat with them, and I'm starting to see bunnies around. So they love hollyhock and delphinium? - lol - I just planted a few.

Good luck pwin with those hollyhocks and delphiniums.

I went down this morning for my daily walk and lo and behold all of my red flax seedlings are gone!! They were just shooting up their second sets of leaves and they are gone. I know its not the deer, there are not signs of them. Its those pesky rabbits.

The neighbors think we are crazy. The other day we were sitting in the back yard next to the mole tunnels. One of us had the pitchfork the other one had the B B gun waiting for one of the varmints to show up. The rabbits eat my plants the moles tunnel under the plants. Nothing I have tried has worked to get rid of those things. If anyone saw us they never said a word. I am sure they rolled their eyes!!

We used to go out on a Saturday night. Now we hunt varmints!!!

Diane

pwin I wonder if it was deer that ate the plumes, I waited for them to finally open, and one day later, gone. But the fern part was shredded, I think bunnies did that. I do spray liquid fence, but I guess I did not do it often enough.

Diane, I sympathize. I don't blame you one bit for doing that! And oh gosh, flax, too!!

Lindaw, the plume part sounds like deer. They ate a few of the astilbe leaves on mine, but left half of it and never returned for them. They felt no remorse about the flowers, though. That plant sure was ugly last year. :/ I had bought it because it was "deer resistant". I have skimmia next to it and i'm in love with it. I'm removing the astilbe for more skimmia. The little male skimmia I have the deer haven't touched. The large female one: they take a bite out of it and leave it alone the rest of the year. Though, I wish they wouldn't taste the plant by taking a bite out of the middle. :/

Pic is of my male skimmia.

I haven't tried liquid fence. I've used Bobbex. I have elderberry (also listed as deer resistant) that the deer can't resist. I sprayed it regularly, but then a month passed and the plant flowered and the deer were all over it. I've decided to spray it weekly. It isn't as if food for them is scarce around here. I wish they'd leave my plants alone!

That is one beautiful plant pwin!!!

I know we have to be understanding that the animals are only trying to find food. But my garden is NOT a salad bar.

LOL!!

Diane