Wascally Wabbits

This Summer we have a problem with rabbits. Our neighbor behind us has an owl posted. I'm not sure if this is one of many reasons why they are in our yard more then last year or what. I have seen several little baby bunnies crawling under our next door neighbor's yard. I'm not sure what they have on their side of the privacy fence, but I do know they have several gardens.

Last year's population was deleted some because one of the neighbors would shoot them with a pellet gun. Abrasive I know but it worked. Unfortunately, he is no longer with us.

The rabbits seem to love my new lily garden. I am not going to have the experience to view my Stargazer Lilies this year. My Casa Blanca was just about to bloom and they striped the entire plant and left only the stem. I have other lilies that the stem wasn't even left in tact. I'm afraid my Starfighter will be next. It's about to have several what I can imagine beautiful blooms too.

I did some research this morning to see how to rid these rascals. My Mom used to put my nephews hair throughout her garden. I came across that on the Internet. Hmmm...I just think that hair would not be attractive. I didn't like it in my Mom's garden back then either, it just takes away from the beauty in my opinion. I heard about blood meal, pepper, Tabasco Sauce but one will need to reapply said things when it rains and this late Spring and early Summer we have had too much rain. I thought about buying an owl as well. This will assist with ground squirrels too. I could put up the little decorative fences around it, but I really would like to do that as a last resort.

I stumbled across several plants that the rabbits do not like. Someone posted:

a = annual, p = perennial, zone 5

1. lantana - a
2. asters - a
3. iris - p
4. hosta - p
5. violets - p
6. eliotrope - a
7. rhododendron - shrub
8. pentas - a
9. lunaria - biennial
10. foxglove - biennial
11. tomato plants - a
12. rosemary - a
    
13. lavender - p
14. ageratum - a
15. stokesia - p
    
16. nemesia - a
    
17. butterfly bush - p
    
18. cleome (self-seeding)
    
19. begonia - a
    
20. azalea - shrub
    
21. 4'0'clocks - a
    
22. alyssum - a
23. scented geraniums - a

I have never noticed any rabbits ravishing my hostas on this side of the shed years before, I understand why now. Thinking back, I only had problems with the flower bed in front of the shed prior to me planting the alyssums. I typically plant this flower as a border, but my seeds starters didn't take this year and I didn't want to buy the plants to plant since I was buying the actual flowers for other gardens. Next year this is a must. I also think that some of these plants listed above attract butterflies and they will be placed in that garden next year.

Unfortunately, I can't save what was eaten, nor will the lilies spread next year since they didn't flower, but next year alyssums are definitely back in my garden as borders.

Oh, I also read that the rabbits do not like cocoa bean mulch. I like my red mulch because it goes so well with the trim, but if the alyssums don't work, then I just might try changing the mulch.