I have never known rats to eat vegetation!! Ripe produce (tomatoes, corn, squash, etc.) or fruit perhaps and starchy items like bulbs or tubers if desperate but not flowering plants. Can't find any sources that state otherwise so I think something else is munching your annuals.

Thanks for both the replies. I might try planting some salvia and see what happens (although I wasn't sure salvia can do well with lots of shade). As for what's eating my impatiens, I definitely saw a critter's tail as it ran out of my impatiens planters, on two different occasions, when I turned on the backyard light at night, and it was either a rat or possibly a possum (or a large mouse!). As I'd noted, this was the first year that ANY critters have eaten my impatiens (or any other flowering plants) down to the soil, and I'd also seen a rat in the winter eating my tangerines (and I did research on what would eat a tangerine by hollowing it out and eating the insides, and the answer was rats). I live in a townhouse complex and some of us have ivy in the front or back yards and my neighbor whose yard is attached has a whole row of giant Italian cypress, and I think rats hang out in both kinds of plants. So I'm not sure what I can do to keep rats or other rodents/vermin out of my particular yard, although I'll do some further investigation into city or county resources or pest companies. My back yard is way too small and urban for bigger animals (like deer) to get in, so I think whatever is eating the flowers must be something in the rodent family. I did find an online post about rats eating someone else's impatiens, so that seemed to confirm my unfortunate sense that I've got a rat (and I would like to think I only have one--but that's not realistic). There's no garbage or even compost in my backyard, by the way, or pet food. Perhaps the Bay Area's common roof rats have gotten desperate for food or moisture and so are starting on flowering plants!

Marilano, You stated townhouse complex. Do you have a management company or HOA etc? They should be taking care of this problem. Rats like to hang out and waller in ivy. I would put some traps out...small piece of bread tied with fishing line to the trap then top it with a dab of peanut butter. Take it in during the day or you'll have an ant problem. I've read some pests don't like lavender.

They are attracted to any pet food left outside even in neighbors yards and of course any fruit trees, bushes etc.

You'll need to completely eliminate any attractions and food sources.

Are you seeing any droppings? If they are around every not or living close by you should be seeing droppings.

Thanks for the suggestions, but, unfortunately, my lousy HOA and management company do virtually nothing and take no responsibility for any pests (or much else). (We have weird CC&R's, too.) So, e.g., I had to pay for my own termite treatment and lots of new siding because of termite damage--and had to pay for my own roof! My neighbors on both sides do have pets, so pet food in the yard may be an issue, even though I don't have any pets myself. I really don't want to have to pick up dead rats from traps or use poison that can endanger other animals (although I've considered electronic rat zappers). I thought the rat(s) would go away after the tangerine season, and was very surprised to see my impatiens getting eaten. I'm going to check with the county Vector Control dept. and see what they suggest. I had enough trouble in the past with squirrels digging up the potted plants and eating lots of my late-spring plums, but it's much worse to be dealing with rats (or possums).

I'm in SoCal, but the rats here have been horrible this year and I keep hearing everyone say it's been awful everywhere. I need to get some electronic traps going today because I can't take it anymore. hope you find some answers to your rat problem.

About 10 years ago the local newspaper's headline was about rats overrunning the town. Everybody had them!

Wondering if Foxy foxgloves would be left alone.

Are foxgloves unattractive to rats? Or even poisonous? I'm going to call Vector Control and also talk to my neighbor with the attached yard, whose giant Italian cypresses may be providing a home for rats. I'm also considering taking out the climbing ivy from the fence between my house and his, since ivy can attract or house rats. My yard has nothing edible at this point--except my potted plants, most of which have been devoured down to the dirt. The rat(s) have also started munching on my spiky succulent! Rats!!

I have same problem....I've managed to keep begonias and coleus from rats all