We live within 3 blocks of the main street of our 50,000 pop town, and we have deer all of the time, so it very well could be deer. They strip the leaves, but not neatly, so they look torn off. The also eat any buds that might be on the bushes - deer candy! Ours have become nocturnal, so we don't see them much. However, three days ago I saw a doe stop at a corner across the very busy street we live on. She waited until there was no traffic, crossed IN THE CROSSWALK, and calmly went into a yard! If it is deer, there should be some little piles of pellets left around on the ground. I would get one of those rotten egg based deer sprays, and see if that helps.

Jackie

To me, it sure sounds like deer have been grazing in your garden. But you say you are in a village. Ergo, it's impossible that your damage is caused by deer?

Before moving to my present location, I also lived in a village where my garden was decimated repeatedly by deer.

The name of the village where I lived is Washington, DC.

I have to say too, that while growing up, we lived on a very busy street outside of Buffalo, NY and we would see deer in our yard regularly.

However, the image of a runaway giraffe eating your roses keeping popping in my head! You don't live near a zoo do you? haha...just kidding

For quite a few years I worked nearly right on Pacific Coast Hwy and Sunset Blvd. in Pacific Palisades. Saturday and Sunday mornings, as late as 9:30 AM, we'd watch those enormous rodents walk up and down Sunset Blvd. Yup, that Sunset Blvd., just two blocks from the Pacific Ocean. They become used to all the commotion and people and will walk right up to your front door to gnosh. Kim

Also, raccoons are carnivores and can get almost nothing of nutritional value from rose leaves.

Good tips from Kim, but in the eastern half of the country, voles eat roots just as gophers do in the West.

Deer snack on my roses all the time. Rabbits, too. I can tell when it's deer because they usually leave the stipules from the leaves they eat. If the leaves are gone, and the stipules are mostly still there, I vote that deer are your culprits ... no matter if you live in a village or not.

Thanks Michael. Fortunately, we don't have much of a vole problem. Want some ground squirrels to round out your selection? hehehe They're REALLY cute and love Cheetos! Kim

I'll bet it is deer. I live in an older, very densely populated suburb of Detroit and there are deer in my city. Granted they're in the northern end where there is a small area of forest for them to bed down in during the day but they're creeping further and further into the city all the time. We also have a lot of rabbits, squirrels and other varmints to contend with. We've recently found out that there are now coyotes too. Everyone thinks I'm nuts but I'm rooting for them! They don't eat roses and maybe they'll keep the populations of the other critters in check!

Coyotes are omnivorous, Seil. If they find roses to their liking, they'll turn to them if nothing else is available. I find their "evidence" out back all the time. It would surprise you to see what all they eat! I agree with you, though, every "critter" they can get is one less for me to watch out for! Kim