Rabbit Resistant Shrub etc. ?

Discussion in 'General Gardening Discussion' started by HarryS, Jul 22, 2020.

  1. HarryS

    HarryS Eternally Optimistic Gardener

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    MY friends son is suffering from rabbits eating a small shrub he has as a feature on his patio. He has tried improving his fencing, but the little monkeys are very resourceful and manage to get in.
    What small and available shrub or similar would be rabbit resistant. I have suggested a dwarf bamboo or an Azalea. Any other ideas for a feature plant that Bugs Bunny won't eat?
    TIA
     
  2. JR

    JR Chilled Gardener

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    My daughters pet rabbit will eat virtually any plant it can get it's efficient chops into.
    Luckily she can put him back in his cage when he gets too naughty, and in his case he gets plenty of proper rabbit food.
    So my best guess would be to plant some things that rabbits like much more than your chosen shrub.
    They love dandelions but ovs you won't want many of those.
    But just like using decoy plants in the veg plot, maybe some non too important border plants might stall Bugsy.
    Another effective barrier is a good terrier patrolling the patio in the early mornings just as bunky comes round for his breakfast.
    Failing that, how about a posh large and tallish tub for the said shrub?
    They usually look stunning on a patio, and bugsy won't want the bovver of a climb.
    Stop press.. Try a berberis, they look great, and our teefy little friends won't like the little spikes.
     
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      Last edited: Jul 22, 2020
    • blackstart

      blackstart Gardener

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      • shiney

        shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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        That's quite a good list but you need to show it to the rabbits! Some of our rabbits obviously didn't read that they're not supposed to like the plants and there at least eight that they haven't got in their rabbit bible. :doh:
         
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        • HarryS

          HarryS Eternally Optimistic Gardener

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          Thanks for the RHS list @blackstart :blue thumb: My friends son is not a gardener, so I was going to suggest a Cordyline ( Torbay dazzler ?) or a Phormium. These are available everywhere. If they are kept in a container on the patio or set into the patio, this would limit their size. Typically these are not in the RHS list, but they must be rabbit resistant?
           
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          • JR

            JR Chilled Gardener

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            As they are not on the list Harry, there's only one way to find out!
            In all seriousness though, there isn't much worse than seeing a good plant chewed to rags.
            Similarly, after I've spent months nursing my lovely black kale plants from seed, i cant bear seeing chewed edges.
            I use fine scaffold net over them, but there is always a bit of damage.
            But of course when compared to rabbit damage it's minor.
            A hungry rabbit can wipe a plant out in record time. I hope you keep us posted with your results.
            They tell me that rabbits were once a real menace on our allotments, but the foxes upped their game and it isn't a problem at the present time.
             
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            • HarryS

              HarryS Eternally Optimistic Gardener

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              Well Jymi I am not a rabbit but the thought of chewing a phormium leave is not very appetising :biggrin:
               
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              • blackstart

                blackstart Gardener

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                I'd have thought your choice of plants would be fine.

                Blackstart
                 
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                • shiney

                  shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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                  Don't plant forsythia. They may appear to be tough old plants but our rabbits seem to love their roots. They don't bother any other part of the plants but have dug down and been consuming the roots of two of our 15 year old ones. I laid some plastic trellis around them and they have left them alone now - although plastic trellis won't stop them if they really want to get through it. They just chew through it! :mad:
                   
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                  • pete

                    pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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                    Can only suggest brambles and gorse, they usually survive in rabbit country.:roflol:
                     
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                    • Cordy

                      Cordy Super Gardener

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                      Harry
                      Try Euphorbia, they have some nice specimens at B & Q Wigan
                      Variety is Ascot Rainbow DSC_0004 (2).JPG
                       
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                        Last edited: Aug 2, 2020
                      • HarryS

                        HarryS Eternally Optimistic Gardener

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                        Thanks @Cordy , Euphrbia is a nice plant. I'll add it to his short list of plants he may want to try :blue thumb:
                         
                      • shiney

                        shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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                        We sell a lot of Ascot Rainbow for our charity sale as it's very popular. :blue thumb:
                         
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                        • HarryS

                          HarryS Eternally Optimistic Gardener

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                          @shiney Now that is a lovely plant, I may get one myself!:blue thumb:
                          I presume when you say popular, you mean with the gardener and not the rabbits? :biggrin:
                           
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