The basic rule of thumb is rabbits and deer won't eat poisonous plants. They also tend to avoid very dry, very fuzzy, very scratchy and highly scented plants. Dry and fuzzy things get gummy in their mouths and require water to wash them down. They're eating the plants as much for the water as they are for nutrition. They avoid highly scented plants because it "jams their radar". They all rely upon their senses of smell to detect danger. Highly scented plants, not the flowers but the actual foliage, over power their ability to smell and they can't tell if there are coyotes or other predators in the area so they tend to avoid being so close to them to retain their ability to smell danger. Of course, a highly stressed animal is going to be willing to take more risks and eat things they normally wouldn't. And, they can't read, so are often not familiar with what is often on the "do not eat" lists. Sunset Western Garden book for a long time stated deer won't eat agapanthus, but they will gnaw off all the opening flower clusters, leaving them looking as if Ophelia Addams lives at your house. They tend also to avoid areas with the strong scent of blood as that 'tells' them a kill has occurred and Nature avoids death. Urine from predators can repel them because that indicates their predator has been marking its territory, and they know invading that territory can often result in them being dinner. The commercial and home repellants often work because of the "radar jamming" effects. They tend also to avoid areas where they feel too exposed, particularly where they don't have a fast, easy escape route or where they can easily become trapped. Given their choice, they will usually eat things easily accessed via their entrance and more hidden from view. Increasing stress results in them foraging deeper and deeper into normally considered unsafe areas and their taking greater risks to find food. Using the raised boards or sticks as Strawberryhill suggested is like a cattle guard. Cows see the parallel lines on the ground and instinctively know they can get their hooves caught in them, so they avoid them. Deer need something they fear will trip them or injure them. They can jump a seven foot fence because they can jump high for short distances. They can't and usually won't try jumping two shorter fences placed four or five feet apart from one another. While they can go up high for a short distance, they can't jump long distances without a good running start. The trick is finding which combination works well in your situation and for long periods. They can quickly learn your repellant efforts have no teeth behind them, like the plastic owls on poles with rabbits. If the owls don't actually fly at them, chasing them, the rabbits will quickly learn they can continue grazing right under them with no consequences. So far, the best repellant I've found for all of them are the motion sensor sprinklers. You have to get them set just right to protect the area against the varmint you have to repel, and you have to constantly remember YOU are a "varmint" when seen by the motion detector. It's the surprise of the noise and being hit with a strong, fast stream of cold water when violating the area that keeps that system working against the rabbits and deer. Motion activated lighting works for a short time, but has no "teeth" behind them, so they quickly become accustomed to them and ignore the light. They never ignore a noisy rain bird full of strong, cold water. Get hit with it once and neither will you! The real trick for safety with the motion sensor sprinkler is not to turn the hose on strongly. Too strong and it may cause the hose to burst, resulting in wasting a lot of water and causing flooding should you not find the problem for hours after it occurs. Turning the hose on to a trickle usually allows the pressure to build when needed for that strong, thirty second noisy blast of water. If the hose bursts before the pressure is needed, you shouldn't waste much water at a trickle. Normally, all it takes is one blast an evening to keep the deer out unless you have herds of them to contend with. Kim

Thank you for all of your words of encouragement! Well, I held off for as long as possible... Right after I got back from vacation we had a week of temps near 112, and I did nothing but water, mist and pray. Today, I couldn't stand looking at my poor roses any longer, so with the temps back below normal I ventured out into the garden, pruners in hand. The floribundas seem to have survived the best - I only needed to give them a light prune, and I even have a Julia Child in bloom. Not surprisingly perhaps, my David Austins suffered the most. Some of them lost all their leaves, so I trimmed them up, and cut them back by about one third. We'll see what happens now. If there's one thing I've learnt about roses, it's that they're tough little buggers. I just feel bad that they've had to go through such a trauma! Happy Gardening everyone. Provence

Hi Joanna, I'm new to roses, too, but I've done a lot of self-education. I learned on Sunday at a mini-seminar that roses do best at a PH between 6.3 and 6.5. My soil is about 7.0 with limestone rocks scattered through it; otherwise, it's Florida sand. For a while when I thought it was more alkaline, I was thinking about removing all the soil in the bed and having compost delivered in a truck, so that's an option (albeit an ugly one.) When I found out it was 7.0 and not worse, I decided I would dig really large holes, line the bottom and sides with pine needles (they're very acid), use the recommended dose of soil sulphur (only to be used once a year, I believe, because it will harm the plants, then you check the PH again), make new soil out of maybe 33% original soil, 33% peat moss which has a low PH (wet it before mixing it in - it repels water), and the rest store-bought compost, Black Kow (aged manure), and a "soil conditioner" which is just ground up pine bark (very acid.) I'm going organic, too. Cottonseed meal is a good nitrogen source, and it acidifies the soil. You could use fertilizer designed for acid-loving plants also. Pine bark mulch and/or oak leaves will acidify the soil. I was told that roses won't be happy at 7.0. Also, salt isn't good for plants. Just like humans, it makes them thirsty and they require more water, and salt is what burns the plant when you over-fertilize. Maybe what's in the alfalfa isn't enough to matter alot, but I would water more than you planned to compensate. In Florida roses are heavy feeders. I use alfalfa & fish emulsion, too. I have been told to fertilize monthly year round. I kind of think if you use a heavy dose of sulphur on your soil, you should wait several months before you plant. A Master Gardener told me that I should grow what likes alkaline soil because "high PH" could not be corrected. That's why I thought of insulating the plant from the original soil with the pine straw. Probably a crazy idea that won't accomplish what I want. I was told compost does nothing to change PH - but it does keep nematodes away which we have here. I would think that you would have lots of garden amendments available in Israel since it's reported that they produce wonderful things from the desert in Israel. Well, I hope you find everything you need including advise. I saw those same photos of rose gardens so I know where your heart is. My garden still looks like a demolition zone with about 10 roses in pots waiting to go in the ground. I don't understand why it takes me all day to plant 2 roses - oh, maybe it's because I have to move out 2 or 3 plants & relocate them elsewhere and prepare those holes and lug the compost & peat & manure & shovels & water back & forth. We have chloronated city water which is bad for the microorganisms that I'm trying to encourage so I fill tubs with hose water and let it sit for 24 hours, then dip it out to each rose a gallon at a time - everyday because they're newly planted. I must really love roses! I only hope they survive. DH is investigating a rain collection system. My Mrs. B. R. Cant (only 10 days in the ground) is blooming beautifully. She's on Fortuniana rootstock and is supposed to become a 9' x 9' monster. Keep in touch. Sherry

We have a terrible deer problem here, so my heart goes out to you, Indyroma. I use the home made spray because the commercial ones are soooo expensive. (Like $40). I mixed up some a few days ago: eggs, a little milk, whole dried chili peppers, lots of garlic powder and water. Put some vegetable oil in it to help it stick to leaves. I process it in my Vitamix blender, but still have to strain it because your pump sprayer will clog. It works well. After it dries, like bethnorcal says, you cannot smell it. The deer have been browsing on my hosta, clematis vine, and roses. It is horrible- I am torn because they all have babies right now and are really hungry. But we work too hard in our yard to have it all eaten in a few days. I am truly sorry about your DA buds. Hopefully, you can get them sprayed and they will re grow new buds for you.