How about this?
I had a nice healthy rosebush that I noticed fell over last week.
Come to find out the roots had been thoroughly chewed up...eaten.
I am assuming they are voles cuz I see little holes in the ground. Anybody have any suggestions or experiences? Thanks!!

There are "gopher cages" that you can plant in to protect the roots in areas where critters are a serious problem.

I had a really big problem with both voles and pocket gophers when I moved here. They ate my roses from the tops, usually. I ended up buying traps for each and trapping them. I'd set the traps on their holes and if I didn't catch something in a day, I'd switch types. Or move somewhere else. Over two years I caught more than a dozen voles and about half as many pocket gophers. I systematically dug up and destroyed their underground highways. So far this spring, no sign of either.

Of course having local foxes, coyotes, bobcats and raptors helps a little, too.

It's not a quick fix. It's not a permanent fix. But it's an effective one that does not do bad things to the animals that consume voles and gophers. Good Luck.

Thanks, Porkpal and Steve! I appreciate your help so much!
Hopefully I can save the garden.....

My ARE orders this season.

Katerina Zeimet
Ducher
Don Juan, Climbing
Madame Alfred Carriere
Andenken an Alma l'Aigle
Mrs Oakley Fischer
Caldwell Pink

Blossomtime
Iceberg
Gruss an Aachen (I'll be able to compare to the one from Edmunds on Dr Huey rootstock.
Jeanne d'Arc
Quietness
Arethusa
Sombreuil
Winecup
Carefree Beauty
Franicis Dubreuil


Older roses from ARE:
In their third springs Baronne Prevost and Hermosa appear to be growing quite vigorously, and Rise 'n' Shine looks quite happy. Mons Tillier, also in its third spring here, died to the ground this winter but is sending out new canes. Surprisingly, Marie Pavie and Pink Parfait - both in their second year - also died to the ground this winter, but they are sending up tiny shoots. So there is hope.

Pretty much every rose I purchased in the early fall is dead - except for Parade. I cannot, must not, will not plant roses in the fall here. I suppose it is just as well. If 90% of the roses in my garden survive, there will be far too many roses there for the good of the garden. And I'll have nothing to do next year. Except mulch.

Mulch is great, but not as exciting as new roses!

Ppal - I agree, mulch *is* pretty boring, but when you're in a cold area, it's also kinda a necessary thing.