Northeast Gardening: Introducing myself to the NE forum, 0 by DONNA_11

DONNA_11 wrote:
Hi everyone, my name as the sign on reads is Donna and I live close to the south coast of RI. I’m not a novice but by no means am I an experienced gardener. I do well with the native perennials and your basic out of the 6 pack garden shop annuals. I was getting board with the basics so I decided to broaden my horizons with all kind of plants that I didn’t know anything about. The good thing is that’s how I found DG; I was researching some plants and found this site. The bad thing is I’ve made some horrendous mistakes, mostly because I bought what was pretty. I’ve posted several questions on a few of the forums and was amazed at the help I’ve received. I got more information in one week that I could have gotten out of the library in six months. I’ve looked at a lot of the threads on the NE forum and enjoyed the conversations, the pictures of the beautiful gardens and gorgeous containers.

I’ve had a minor set back and had to stay in bed for a week, now I’m allowed to sit at the pc, hobble around and watch the weeds grow. The yard has been unattended for the last 2 weeks and the weeds are taking over. The problem with the overgrowth of weeds and grass is the critters or something has moved in. My roses (mostly the easy care) have been chewed. The less thorny to nubs, the leaves have been eaten off the ones with big thorns, but there are some that haven’t been touched at all. Who ever this is (if it’s only one kind of critter) eats only the flowers off the wave petunias and pansies, leaving the much more accessible impatiens alone. Last evening while attempting to water the pots I found what looks like the beginning of a burro next to the foundation behind a large and Hydrangea, I am in a wooded area and we have our fair share of critters (squirrels, woodchucks, deer and bunnies). I’ve been here 7 years and never had this kind of problem. Suggestions please, what do you all think?