Thanks all,
Ah yes--all of my gardens are in the ground, or above ground, but on the ground--
It is the ruination of little plants that I am mostly worried about--discovered an extensive nest system under some saxis, with their excavations burying some plants. One gentian disappeared.
More of a nuisance than a threat in the big rock garden in association with the bigger plants, but the little ones...
I'm thinking it's probably not so good to have their roots all disrupted and their crowns buried as we head into winter.
Why can't the ants set up under the creeping thyme or some other indestructible plant that I have too much of?
