Rabbit-Proof Perennials That Naturally Keep Peter Rabbit Out of the Garden

by DerdriuMarriner

Keeping rabbits out of gardens is a valid concern depicted in Beatrix Potter's "The Tale of Peter Rabbit." A green strategy creates a barrier of perennials disagreeable to rabbits.

The classic "Tale of Peter Rabbit" by Beatrix Potter presents the classic, troublesome interaction between gardeners and rabbits.

Certain perennials that are disagreeable to rabbits naturally and successfully end rabbit invasions into gardens.

Twelve rabbit-proof perennials, for a range sunlight and shade conditions and hardiness zones, are presented:
•common peony (Paeonia officinalis),
•Christmas rose (Helleborus niger),
•European lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis),
•Jerusalem sage (Pulmonaria saccharata),
•lady's mantle (Alchemilla mollis),
•spotted dead-nettle (Lamium maculatum),
•globeflower (Trollius europaeus),
•Griffith's spurge 'Fern Cottage' (Euphorbia griffithii 'Fern Cottage'),
•Perkeo dwarf astilbe (Astilbe x crispa 'Perkeo'),
•Chinese bergenia (Bergenia stracheyi),
•Virginia spiderwort (Tradescantia virginiana),
•blue African lily (Agapanthus africanus).

Gardeners usually do not mind if bunnies feast on dandelions (Taxacum):

closeup of wild bunny eating dandelion flower
Leighton Moss RSPB (Royal Society for Protection of Birds) Reserve, Lancashire, northwestern England
Leighton Moss RSPB (Royal Society for Protection of Birds) Reserve, Lancashire, northwestern England

 

Cottontail rabbits were made famous by English author-illustrator Beatrix Potter (July 28, 1866 - December 22, 1943) in her now classic children's story, The Tale of Peter Rabbit. The tale concerns the misadventures of young Peter as he disobeys his mother's prohibition against visiting Mr. McGregor's garden, where his father fatally ended up in one of Mrs. McGregor's pies.

 

"Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail, who were good little bunnies, went down the lane to gather blackberries."

 

Listening to their mother, Peter's siblings, Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail, scamper to the lane where luscious blackberries (genus Rubus, family Rosaceae) abound.

 

snacks thanks to Mr. McGregor's garden

The Tale of Peter Rabbit (1916), page 15; illustration by Virginia Albert
The Tale of Peter Rabbit (1916), page 15; illustration by Virginia Albert

"First he ate some lettuces and some French beans; and then he ate some radishes."

 

On the other hand, Peter is beguiled by the tempting produce in Mr. McGregor's garden. Turning his back on the easy availability of wild blackberries, Peter prefers to raid Mr. McGregor's garden for French beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), lettuce (Lactuca sativa), and radishes (Raphanus sativus). While searching for parsley (Petroselinum crispum), Peter encounters the old gardener and has to use his ingenuity and agility in order to escape capture.

A realistic aspect of this beloved tale is the negative interaction that occurs between gardeners and rabbits in the garden environment. Gardens invariably contain plants that are enticing to rabbits. If the garden is accessible, cottontails in the vicinity are irresistibly drawn to chomp, graze, and sample the wondrous array of edibles that is unmatched generally in uncultivated fields, meadows, and woodlands. Everything is laid out so nicely and bountifully!

 

squeezing under the gate to enter and exit Mr. McGregor's garden

Altemus' Wee Books for Wee Folks: The Tale of Peter Rabbit (1904), page 39
Altemus' Wee Books for Wee Folks: The Tale of Peter Rabbit (1904), page 39

"He slipped underneath the gate, and was safe at last in the wood outside the garden."

 

Mr. McGregor's garden was not rabbit-proof. Peter entered and exited the forbidden premises by squeezing under an easily surmountable barrier, the garden gate.

Often the best enclosure for a garden frequented by rabbits is a fence, which is a humane solution to the problem. A two-foot high fence of chicken wire that has support posts every six to eight feet serves as an effective barrier against invader rabbits. It is imperative, however, to secure the wire to the ground. Otherwise, rabbits, which are agile and acrobatic, will squeeze or burrow their way
underneath, just as Peter did.

 

Food sources and shelter are top priorities for wild rabbits:

desert cottontail bunny (Sylvilagus audubonii) sheltering in petrified logs,
Petrified Forest National Park, northwestern Arizona
Petrified Forest National Park, northwestern Arizona

Natural deterrents to rabbit invaders: rabbit-resistant perennials

 

Some gardens -- especially those such as the Plant A Row for the Hungry garden at the Chesapeake Bay Field Office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Annapolis, Maryland -- are confined to a location where fences are the only viable, humane solution for preventing wildlife invasions. Also, some gardeners prefer to surround their planting endeavors with fences, which may set a tone with their rustic or primitive or elaborate design.

Nevertheless, for those gardens that are not located in restricted space, another solution is to plant perennials that repel rabbits. Enclosing a garden with the natural barrier of rabbit-resistant perennials successfully deters the would-be invaders.

These furry mammals engage in amazing acrobatic leaps for play and for escape but they do not indulge in hurdles over plants that are repugnant to their sensitivities. Rabbits are discouraged by a continuous barrier of undesirable foliage. When confronted with such an obstacle, rabbits do not trespass further but instead scamper away from the distasteful area. Thus end, with a natural, "green" strategy, close, intensely negative encounters with marauding wild rabbits.

The following perennials (Latin: per, "through" + annus, "year"), which are plants with a lifespan of more than two years, have been selected for both attractiveness and reliability. Also various hardiness zones are represented.

Also noted are perennials that successfully repel two other garden invaders:

  • Slugs (class Gastropoda);
  • White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus).

 

common peony (Paeonia officinalis)

Sheridan-Kalorama neighborhood, California Street NW, Washington DC
Sheridan-Kalorama neighborhood, California Street NW, Washington DC

Zones 3 to 8 (-40 to 20 °F; -40 to - 7 °C): Full sun

 

Paeonia officinalis, commonly known as common peony or European peony or tree peony, is a European native. The common peony reaches a height of 15 to 24 inches (38 to 60 centimeters), with a spread of 24 inches (60 centimeters).

Glossy, dark leaves frame large, magenta to deep red flowers with ruffled petals in early summer.

While peonies effectively ward off white-tailed deer, they just as effectively attract scores of butterflies, including:

  • Little wood satyr (Megisto cymela);
  • Skippers, such as Peck's skipper (Polites peckius), the silver-spotted (Epargyreus clarus), and the tawny-edged (Polites themistocles);
  • Spicebush swallowtail (Papilio troilus).

Three cultivars of Paeonia officinalis received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit (AGM) in 1993:

  • 'Anemoniflora Rosea,'
  • 'Rosea Plena,' and
  • 'Rubra Plena.'

Caution should be exercised against ingestion, as all parts of Paeonia plant may provoke mild stomach upsets.

 

Christmas rose (Helleborus niger)

Wilder Kaiser mountain chain, Tyrol, western Austria
Wilder Kaiser mountain chain, Tyrol, western Austria

Zones 3 to 9 (-40 to 30 °F; -40 to - 1 °C): Full sun or partial shade

 

Helleborus niger, commonly known as Christmas rose or black hellebore, is a winter-to-spring flowering native from the Alps in southern Germany to northern Italy. Helleborus niger reaches a height of 12 inches (30 centimeters), with a spread of 12 to 20 inches (30 to 50 centimeters).

Dark green, leathery, serrated leaves have 5 to 9 broad leaflets and grow at the base of the sturdy stem.

One large flower per stalk opens in whiteness but acquires pink or deep red-pink tints with age.

Hellebores have the added benefit of banning deer and slugs from the garden.

Caution should be exercised, as:

  • contact with Helleborus sap may cause skin irritations;
  • ingestion of any part of Helleborus plants may provoke severe discomfort. 

 

European lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis)

Karlsruhe, Baden- Württemberg, southwest Germany
Karlsruhe, Baden- Württemberg, southwest Germany

Zones 3 to 9 (-40 to 30 °F; -40 to - 1 °C): Full shade or partial shade

 

Convallaria majalis, commonly known as European lily of the valley, is native to Eurasia. Convallaria majalis reaches a height of 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters), with a spread of 12 to 40 inches (30 to 100 centimeters).

Large leaves are lance-shaped.

Flowers open daintily and fragrantly as white, bell-shaped flowers in early spring.

Berries are scarlet.

Convallaria majalis also is deer-resistant.

Convallaria majalis received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit (AGM) in 1993.

Caution should be exercised, as ingestion of Convallaria majalis seeds may provoke mild stomach upsets.

 

Jerusalem sage (Pulmonaria saccharata)

University Botanical Garden, Oslo, southeast Norway
University Botanical Garden, Oslo, southeast Norway

Zones 3 to 9 (-40 to 30 °F; -40 to - 1 °C): Full shade or partial shade

 

Pulmonaria saccharata, commonly known as Jerusalem sage or Bethlehem sage or lungwort, is native to northern Italy. Pulmonaria saccharata reaches a height of 12 to 16 inches (30 to 40 centimeters), with a spread of 16 to 32 inches (40 to 80 centimeters).

Lance-shaped leaves are speckled in silver.

Five-petaled flowers open as white or shades of mauve to purple or purple-red in spring.

Fruits are inconspicuous, brown nutlets that easily self-seed, soon producing little seedlings at the base of the plant.

Pulmonaria saccharata is deer-resistant.

Pulmonaria saccharata 'Argentea Group' received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit (AGM) in 1993.

 

lady's mantle (Alchemilla mollis)

Corley, Warwickshire, central England
Corley, Warwickshire, central England

Zones 4 to 9 (-30 to 30 °F; -34 to - 1 °C): Full sun or partial shade

 

Alchemilla mollis, commonly known as lady's mantle, is a soft-stemmed perennial that is a Eurasian native. Originally found from Romania to Greece and Iran, lady's mantle reaches a height of 12 to 20 inches (30 to 50 centimeters), with a spread of 12 to 32 inches (30 to 80 centimeters).

Grey green, downy leaves are shaped like hands.

Flowers open in yellow-green clusters in summer.

Alchemilla mollis is deer-resistant.

Alchemilla mollis received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit (AGM) in 1993.

 

 

spotted dead-nettle (Lamium maculatum)

Lamium maculatum is also known as purple dragon.
Lamium maculatum is also known as purple dragon.

Zones 4 to 10 (-30 to 40 °F; -34 to 4 °C): Shade or partial shade

 

Lamium maculatum, commonly known as spotted dead-nettle or purple dragon, is a native of the Palearctic region, which includes Europe, western Asia, and North Africa.

Spotted dead-nettle reaches a height of 6 to 20 inches (15 to 50 centimeters) with a spread of 24 to 60 inches (60 to 150 centimeters).

Pinkish red to purple or rare white flowers open dramatically against pointed, white-centered leaves in summer.

Lamium maculatum is disagreeable to deer.

 

globeflower (Trollius europaeus)

Anchor Point, Kenai Peninsula, south central Alaska
Anchor Point, Kenai Peninsula, south central Alaska

Zones 5 to 9 (-20 to 30 °F; -29 to - 1 °C): Full sun or partial shade

 

Trollius europeaus, commonly known as common globeflower or European globeflower, is native to Europe, northern Asia, and far northern North America. Trollius europaeus reaches a height of 24 inches (60 centimeters), with a spread of 18 inches (45  centimeters).

Leaves, with 3 to 5 lobes, are toothed.

Flowers open as lemon yellow globes in late spring to early summer.

 

Griffith's spurge 'Fern Cottage' (Euphorbia griffithii 'Fern Cottage')

Specis name griffithii honors British naturalist William Griffith (March 4, 1810-February 9, 1845).
Specis name griffithii honors British naturalist William Griffith (March 4, 1810-February 9, 1845).

Zones 5 to 10 (-20 to 40 °F; -29 to 4 °C): Full sun

 

Euphorbia griffithii, commonly known as Griffith's spurge, originates in the Himalayas ("Abode of snow"), the spectacular mountain range that separates the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan plateau. Griffith's spurge has an equiproportional shape, with a height and a spread of 36 inches (90 centimeters).

Up to 5 inches (12 centimeters) in length, narrow leaves emerge as dark green with copper to pink tints and change brilliant orange or red in autumn.

Clusters of fiery orange flowerheads open in summer.

Drought-resistant Griffith's spurge has the additional attraction of exiling deer and slugs from the garden.

Euphorbia griffithii 'Dixter,' named for Great Dixter, an arts and crafts style garden in East Sussex made famous by British gardener Christopher Hamilton Lloyd (March 2, 1921 – January 27, 2006),  received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit (AGM) in 1993.

Caution should be exercised, as:

  • contact with Euphorbia's milky sap may cause skin irritations;
  • ingestion of any part of Euphorbia plant may provoke severe discomfort.

 

Perkeo dwarf astilbe (Astilbe x crispa 'Perkeo')

2009 RHS Flower Show Tatton Park, Cheshire, northwestern England
2009 RHS Flower Show Tatton Park, Cheshire, northwestern England

Zones 6 to 9 (-10 to 30 °F; -23 to - 1 °C): Partial shade

 

Astilbe x crispa 'Perkeo' is a hybrid of uncertain origin cultivated by renowned Astilbe breeder Adalbert Georg Arends (September 21 1863 - March 5 1952) of Ronsdorf, North Rhine-Westphalia, west central Germany. 'Perkeo' is commonly known as Perkeo dwarf astilbe or Perkeo hybrid astilbe or Peter Pan dwarf astilbe or Peter Pan hybrid astilbe.

'Perkeo' has an equiproportional shape with a height and a spread of 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30 centimeters). Leaves, which have broad, deeply cut leaflets, are bronze as young foliage.

Flowers open in deep pink plumes.

Astilbes also favor gardeners by shooing away white-tailed deer.

'Perkeo' was honored with the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit (AGM) in 1993.

 

Chinese bergenia (Bergenia stracheyi)

Tama Hills, southwestern Tokyo
Tama Hills, southwestern Tokyo

 

Bergenia stracheyi, commonly known as Chinese bergenia, originates in  Afghanistan and Tibet.

Bergenia stracheyi reaches a height of 12 inches (30 centimeters), with a spread of 16 to 24 inches (40 to 60 centimeters).

Rosettes of semi-evergreen,serrated, oval leaves change to deep red in winter.

Bell-shaped flowers open fragrantly in dense, creamy clusters that age into pink.

Bergenia offers the additional benefit of excluding slugs and whitetails from the garden.

 

Virginia spiderwort (Tradescantia virginiana)

Genus name honors father-son English naturalists John Tradescant the Elder (c1570s–1638) and the Younger (1608-1662).
Genus name honors father-son English naturalists John Tradescant the Elder (c1570s–1638) and the Younger (1608-1662).

Zones 7 to 10 (0 to 40 °F; -18 to 4°C): Partial shade

 

Tradescantia virginiana, commonly known as spiderwort or Virginia spiderwort, is a New World plant that is native to the eastern United States, where it extends westwards from the east coast through Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, and Louisiana. Virginia spiderwort is not native to
Florida or Wisconsin. A disjunct, or separate, geographic population occurs in California. Virginia spiderwort has been successfully introduced into the province of Ontario in east-central Canada.

Virginia spiderwort reaches a height of 12 to 20 inches (30 to 50 centimeters), with a spread of 20 to 48 inches (50 to 120 centimeters).

Leaves are narrow and grass-like.

Three-petaled flowers open in violet-blue to purple clusters from late spring to mid-summer.

Caution should be exercised, as contact with Tradescantia's foliage may cause skin irritations.

 

blue African lily (Agapanthus africanus)

Lavras, southern Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil
Lavras, southern Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil

Zones 9 to 11 (20 to 50 °F; -7 to 10 °C): Full sun

 

Agapanthus africanus, which also has the scientific synonym of Agapanthus umbellatus, is commonly known as African lily or blue African lily or lily-of-the-Nile.

This native of South Africa's Western Cape in the onion family (Alliaceae) reaches a height of 18 to 24 inches (45 to 60 centimeters), with a spread of 24 to 36 inches (60 to 90 centimeters).

Evergreen, strap-shaped leaves measure 12 to 15 inches (30 to 38 centimeters) in length.

Atop stems of 24 inches (60 centimeters) in length, flowers open as long, tubular, purple-blue flowers from late summer through early autumn.

Agapanthus africanus is deer-resistant.

 

New England cottontail (Sylvilagus transitionalis): vulnerable species due to rapid loss of ideal habitat patch of at least 12 acres and consequent decline in food sources.

Crescent Beach State Park, Cape Elizabeth, Cumberland County, southern Maine
Crescent Beach State Park, Cape Elizabeth, Cumberland County, southern Maine

Conclusion: aromatic and visual appeal of rabbit-proof perennials

 

Surrounding a garden with perennials that are disagreeable to rabbits is a natural solution to the problem of unwelcome garden guests. As an added benefit, many of these perennials exclude other pests as well, such as slugs or white-tailed deer.

Another natural measure that I observe is to encourage rabbits away from my lawn and garden by leaving an area of my property as uncultivated land. Rabbits, which have been naturally exiled from my garden, delight in occupying their attention with:

  • Blackberries;
  • Seedlings;
  • Other foliage that abound there.

Gardeners welcome a garden that is undisturbed by uninvited guests. Enclosing a garden with rabbit-proof perennials enhances a garden's visual appeal with a spectrum of floral colors. Some of these perennials emit fragrances, which thus increase the sensory enjoyment of the garden's offerings.

At the end of the day, novice and inveterate gardeners alike are able to rest in confidence and peace that their gardens are growing according to plan.

 

Chasing free-ranging bunnies away from treasured plants is no longer necessary with rabbit-proof perennials.

The Tale of Peter Rabbit (1916), page 35; illustration by Virginia Albert
The Tale of Peter Rabbit (1916), page 35; illustration by Virginia Albert

Dedication

 

This article is dedicated to the artistry of Beatrix Potter (July 28, 1866-December 22, 1943), with special thanks for The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Her legacy of prescient perceptivity to natural environments continues to inspire admirers worldwide.

 

Beatrix as a tween with her mother, Helen Leech Potter (June 1839 – 1932)

ca. 1876 photo taken by Rupert Potter (1832-May 8, 1914)
ca. 1876 photo taken by Rupert Potter (1832-May 8, 1914)

Acknowledgment

 

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

 

Rabbit sniffing blackberry brambles: wild rabbits love wild blackberries (Rubus ssp).

Redmond, northwestern Washington
Redmond, northwestern Washington

Image Credits

 

Leighton Moss RSPB (Royal Society for Protection of Birds) Reserve, Lancashire, northwestern England: Gidzy, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/gidzy/3614942864/

gathering blackberries: Public Domain, via Internet Archive @ https://archive.org/details/ost-english--peter-rabbit-by-beatrix-potter/page/n7/mode/1up

The Tale of Peter Rabbit (1916), page 15; illustration by Virginia Albert: Public Domain, via Project Gutenberg @ https://www.gutenberg.org/files/14304/14304-h/14304-h.htm; via Wikisource @ https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Tale_of_Peter_Rabbit_(1916)

Altemus' Wee Books for Wee Folks: The Tale of Peter Rabbit (1904), page 39: Public Domain, Google-digitized, via HathiTrust @ http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015083455223?urlappend=%3Bseq=41

Petrified Forest National Park, northwestern Arizona: Marge Post/NPS - Park Ranger (Petrified Forest Ranger), CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Desert_cottontail_rabbit_in_Petrified_Forest_National_Park.jpg

Sheridan-Kalorama neighborhood, California Street NW, Washington DC: Robert Lyle Bolton (RLBolton), CC BY 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/robertlylebolton/8091933621/

Wilder Kaiser mountain chain, Tyrol, western Austria: Robert Hundsdorfer, CC BY-SA 2.0 DE, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Helleborus_niger_Kaiser.jpg

Karlsruhe, Baden- Württemberg, southwest Germany: H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Convallaria_majalis_0002.JPG

University Botanical Garden, Oslo, southeast Norway: Jan Sølve Borlaug (jansolve), CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/37942794@N02/3497086606/

Corley, Warwickshire, central England: Amanda Slater (amandabhslater), CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/pikerslanefarm/3621762573/

Lamium maculatum is also known as purple dragon.: ArtMechanic, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gefleckte_Taubnessel.jpg

Anchor Point, Kenai Peninsula, south central Alaska: Emma Forsberg (echoforsberg), CC BY 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/echoforsberg/3605843725/

Specis name griffithii honors British naturalist William Griffith (March 4, 1810-February 9, 1845).: peganum, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/peganum/5669029323/

2009 RHS Flower Show Tatton Park, Cheshire, northwestern England: Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net), CC BY-SA-4.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Astilbe_crispa_'Perkeo'.jpg

Tama Hills, southwestern Tokyo: Sphl, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bergenia_stracheyi_4.jpg

Genus name honors father-son English naturalists John Tradescant the Elder (c1570s–1638) and the Younger (1608-1662).: TeunSpaans, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eendagsbloem_R0019985.JPG

Lavras, southern Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil: Denis Conrado, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Agapanthus_africanus.jpg

Crescent Beach State Park, Cape Elizabeth, Cumberland County, southern Maine: Katherine Whittemore/USFWS Northeast Region, Public Domain, via USFWS National Digital Library @ https://digitalmedia.fws.gov/digital/collection/natdiglib/id/13212/

The Tale of Peter Rabbit (1916), page 35; illustration by Virginia Albert: Public Domain, via Project Gutenberg @ https://www.gutenberg.org/files/14304/14304-h/14304-h.htm; via Wikisoure @ https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Tale_of_Peter_Rabbit_(1916)

ca. 1876 photo taken by Rupert Potter (1832-May 8, 1914): Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Potter_and_her_mother_Helen_Leech_Potter.JPG

Redmond, northwestern Washington: Bob Jenkins (bob_jenkins), CC BY 2.0, via Flickr @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/48380660@N04/4529926759

jumping Eastern cottontail: Hardyplants at English Wikipedia, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:JumpingRabbit.JPG

 

Sources Consulted

 

"Alchemilla mollis AGM." Royal Horticultural Society > Plants > Plant Selector. 2011. The Royal Horticultural Society. Web. www.rhs.org.uk

  • Available at: http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=89 

"Astilbe x crispa 'Perkeo' AGM." Royal Horticultural Society > Plants > Plant Selector. 2011. The Royal Horticultural Society. Web. www.rhs.org.uk

  • Available at: http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=208

Brickell, Christopher, and Judith D. Zuk, eds. The American Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants. New York: DK Publishing, 1996.

"Convallaria majalis AGM." Royal Horticultural Society > Plants > Plant Selector. 2011. The Royal Horticultural Society. Web. www.rhs.org.uk

  • Available at: http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=522 

Delaney, Frank. "The Tale of Beatrix Potter." The Public Domain Review > Essays. July 23, 2014.

  • Available at: https://publicdomainreview.org/essay/the-tale-of-beatrix-potter

Flora: A Gardener’s Encyclopedia. Volumes I-II. Portland OR: Timber Press, 2003.

Hawke, Richard G. "A Comparative Study of Cultivated Asters." Plant Evaluation Notes - Chicago Botanic Garden, Issue 36 (2013): 1-11.

  • Available at: https://www.chicagobotanic.org/downloads/planteval_notes/no36_asters.pdf‎

"Helleborus niger." Royal Horticultural Society > Plants > Plant Selector. 2011. The Royal Horticultural Society. Web. www.rhs.org.uk

  • Available at: http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=947

Humane Society of the United States. “Humane Methods of Wild Rabbit Control.” House Rabbit Society > Wild Rabbits. April 9, 2012. House Rabbit Society. Web. www.rabbit.org

  • Available at: http://www.rabbit.org/opinion/wildrabbitcontrol.html

"Lamium maculatum." Royal Horticultural Society > Plants > Plant Selector. 2011. The Royal Horticultural Society. Web. www.rhs.org.uk

  • Available at: http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=1109

Mexican Association for Conservation and Study of Lagomorphs (AMCELA), Romero Malpica, F.J. & Rangel Cordero, H. 2008. Sylvilagus floridanus. In: IUCN 2013. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 14 January 2014.

  • Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/41299/0

“Orphaned Baby Bunnies: Wild and Domestic.” House Rabbit Society > Frequently Asked Questions > Wild Rabbits. January 22, 2013. House Rabbit Society. Web. www.rabbit.org

  • Available at: http://rabbit.org/faq-orphaned-baby-bunnies/

"Peter Rabbit Books." Henry Altemus Company > Altemus Topics > Peter Rabbit. Last revised January 11, 2010. henryaltemus.com. Web. www.henryaltemus.com

  • Available at: http://www.henryaltemus.com/peter_rabbit/index.htm

Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Peter Rabbit. London: Frederick Warne & Co., 1902.

  • Available via Internet Archive at: https://archive.org/details/ost-english--peter-rabbit-by-beatrix-potter
  • Available via Project Gutenberg at: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/14838/14838-h/14838-h.htm

Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Illustrations by Virginia Albert. Akron OH: Saalfield Publishing Company, 1916.

  • Available via HathiTrust at: http://hdl.handle.net/2027/nc01.ark:/13960/t8tb26t59
  • Available via Project Gutenberg at: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/14304/14304-h/14304-h.htm

Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Altemus' Wee Books for Wee Folks. Philadelphia PA: Henry Altemus Company, 1904.

  • Available via HathiTrust at: http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015083455223

"Pulmonaria saccharata Argentea Group AGM." Royal Horticultural Society > Plants > Plant Selector. 2011. The Royal Horticultural Society. Web. www.rhs.org.uk

  • Available at: http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=1570

"RHS AGM Listing May 2013 (Ornamentals)." Royal Horticultural Society > Plant Awards > List of plants with the AGM. May 2013. The Royal Horticultural Society. Web. www.rhs.org.uk

  • Available at: http://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/Plant-trials-and-awards/Plant-awards/AGM-plants

 

joyous sight of Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) jumping:

signifies general wellbeing and, therefore, high probability of adequate food sources and comfortable shelter
jumping Eastern cottontail
jumping Eastern cottontail
the end which is also the beginning
the end which is also the beginning

Peter Rabbit collectible, thoughtfully designed, with keepsake box ~ Available via Amazon

Height: 11 inches (27.9 cm). Costumed in blue jacket and leather shoes and carrying beloved carrot.
The World of Beatrix Potter: Collectible Peter Rabbit by Kids Prefe...

Peter Rabbit watering can: Classic design created by John Haws in 1886. Made in England. ~ Available via Amazon

Made from heavy gauge steel coated with galvanized zinc for long life and then powder coated. Includes removable round brass faced rose. Minimum life expectancy 20 years.
Haws V143G Traditional Peter Rabbit Design Metal Watering Can, 2.3-...

"Down the Rabbit Hole": Design by fantasy illustrator Shu Mizoguchi ~ Available via Amazon

Glow-in-the-dark puzzle 19.25"x26.75" ~ 1,000 pieces. Packaged inside keepsake book box with a magnetic closure.
Down The Rabbit Hole Book Box Jigsaw Puzzle, 1000-Piece

Feeding the Rabbits: black t-shirt ~ Available via AllPosters

image of oil painting (also known as "Alice in Wonderland") by Frederick Morgan (1847/1856 - 1927)
Feeding the Rabbits
Ad AllPosters

Me and my purrfectly purrfect Maine coon kittycat, Augusta "Gusty" Sunshine

Gusty and I thank you for reading this article and hope that our product selection interests you; Gusty Gus receives favorite treats from my commissions.
DerdriuMarriner, All Rights Reserved
DerdriuMarriner, All Rights Reserved
Updated: 12/02/2024, DerdriuMarriner
 
Thank you! Would you like to post a comment now?
9

Comments

Only logged-in users are allowed to comment. Login
DerdriuMarriner on 01/17/2014

AbbyFitz, Me, too, I want the bunnies to stay. I love it when they stage bunny acrobatics in my back yard; it might be their way of saying "Thank you" for green strategies and no chemicals. :)

AbbyFitz on 01/16/2014

These are great tips for gardeners, but I think I'd want the bunnies to stay :)

You might also like

Eight Popular Perennials Favored by Slugs

Ten perennials that are enjoyed as ornamentals by gardeners also are favored ...

Slug Proof Garden: Slug Resistant Perennials for a Slug Free G...

Prettifying gardens with perennials that are repellent to slugs is an easy, n...


Disclosure: This page generates income for authors based on affiliate relationships with our partners, including Amazon, Google and others.
Loading ...
Error!