Public Enemy #1.....Bugs Bunny

So after living at my home for 1 year, I have found the rabbit population to be a large problem. By the end of this summer, 90% of my hostas were eliminated thanks to bugs bunny's early morning meal. Knowing this, I have to take into consideration planting rabbit deterring plants in my garden. I would imagine the bunnies (what my wife calls them) would target my vegetables. So I am starting to research plants that naturally repel rabbits. The list I will come up with will most likely border the garden to prevent "the bunnies" to feast on my vegetables. To keep with my goals, these plants must follow a certain criteria:
1. They must be native to Missouri
2. They need to be drought tolerable
3. Contribute to maintaining biodiversity (good at attracting bees, native humming birds and song birds)
4. Visually pleasing
5. Would help prevent the use of insecticide or herbicide.

So I would like any suggestion that would help control the bunny population. Some of the websites I have found extremely helpful include www.gardeninghelp.org which is a website established by the Missouri Botanical Gardens. I hope to have a detailed blueprint established by early spring of where I want certain plants to be located. So I am working on it now. Here are some of the plants that I like:


http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/images/low/L960-0901020.jpg
From the Missouri Botanical Garden's website I found Rhododendron 'Maxecat'. This plant, though not native to Missouri, does deter rabbits, attracts hummingbirds and butterflies and produces flowers.

Here are a couple of perennials that offer protection of rabbits and also attract hummingbirds. On the top are Ajuga reptans "Bugleweed" and on the bottom is Aquilegia 'Winky Blue and White'. Both are very pleasing to look at and fits most of the goals of the garden. I will continue to search for plants that will fight the bunny population. Thankfully we have "Bailey" are lab mix who is being trained to control the bunny population. Have a good Thanksgiving!