buford, I read that link. very interesting. and yes, indeed, although I did see some thrips, this is definitely bullnose. Interesting Aloha, in another part of the garden, was affected. and not freezing, as you pointed out. Well, what can you do but live with it?? I think my 'anger' of the previous evening has subsided, so the artillery I had planned for today may wait. I'll reup the garlic spray, and maybe research this Bayer drench. (yes, that autocorrect made me write Sharifa A. as it kept saying Asthma!!) thanks all, and KEEP THE ORGANIC THRIP TREATMENTS COMING!!!! btw, i just found last night pretty good reports of cornmeal as an organic treatment for blackspot, just threw all I had out there, so I will report back!!! A few are BS magnets...mind you, ALL this is happening, for the most part, to my David Austins, I am sad to say. Another vote for the antiques!!!

Deer leave ragged ends on branches they browse. Good video showing this close up http://tinyurl.com/qc4hqqf (go to full screen for detail). Bunnies can only reach as high as they can stand on their hind legs, and are apt to leave a mess of torn leaves, stems & flowers strewn about. But they can jump to higher areas (porches, chairs) & nibble plants from above. Never noticed squirrels munching plants, but they get plenty of tidbits from bird feeder scatter. Our house sits in a clearing surrounded by woodlands, so somebody seems awake at any hour of the day or night scouting for supper. Aromatic plants like lavender & beebalm guard the borders near roses & floppy plants that obscure sure footing cover any bare ground around perennials, many of which are deer resistant, but nothing is deer proof. Have to fence the garden phlox when it buds, since deer have climbed the steps & gobbled down the blooms from the porch. Apparently, that's irresistible. They haven't bothered the hydrangeas, apart from sampling a leaf or two over the years, but in my son's garden miles away they browse his to stubs & bypass the Peace rose surrounded by lavender. Sedum Autumn Joy is a big draw for the fleshy leaves, so I leave the old stems poking out till getting around to caging them before the foliage outgrows their deterrence. Typically it's a curious young buck that comes exploring the flowers on his lonesome around here. Several small deer families graze on the back lawn & rest on the edge of the woods, but they seldom bother the plantings unless it's a hard season. Haven't noticed any damage from other woodland neighbors, though the turtles will clean up fresh fallen rose petals & help themselves to a few viola blooms. In the years I find heliotrope to grow in the porch boxes, a hedgehog couple can often be glimpsed sitting quietly next to them, apparently enjoying the fragrance as much as we do, without disturbing a petal.

Yes, likely squirrels. And the smaller buds you are seeing at the base of what were blunt, fat flower buds are the leaf (foliage) buds for this years growth. Your rhododendrons will set their buds for next Springs flowers later this summer - and hopefully you'll have better luck with the squirrels. I don't know of a fool proof way to guard your plants from their raids....

The most common "eater" of rose leaves in California is the Bristly Rose Slug, the larvae of the Rose Sawfly. The sawfly is a pudgy little wasp. It lays its eggs on the UNDERSIDES of the leaves and the caterpillars feed on the UNDERSIDES of the leaves. The rose slug is tiny, no more than 1/4-inch long and very slender, and it's the exact same pale green as the undersides of the leaves. Talk about hard to see and find! It's the critter that "skelotinizes" rose leaves. It's pretty easy to get rid of, actually. Almost any good spray will do the job: insecticidal soap, Neem, pyrethrum. The trick is to spray thoroughly UNDER the leaves. Not stand back and spray all over. You have to get UNDER the leaves. By the way, a commonly suggested spray for rose sawfly is BT. It doesn't work. It doesn't work because it's meant for the caterpillars of moths and butterflies. The rose slug is the larvae of a wasp. And I'm not sure of any beneficial insect that preys upon it. As for your rose buds, Applenut has a good idea. Go outside late at night with a flashlight. The critter most likely is an earwig, sowbug or pillbug. It also might be a slug or snail. Joe