As much as I hate chemicals, I'm going to recommend you use some Preen around that rose. Get it weeded, apply the Preen, and buy a little short decorative fence section to encircle the rose. Something like this:
http://www.menards.com/main/bu...
There's others out there with a finer mesh that keep out rabbits and are still kind of decorative.
Whenever I've had anyone help me in the garden, I've had to mark unusual or small plants with big obvious labels or fences, and even then I've had them pulled, mowed, or whacked. If I'm trimming, I've cut plants because I got in a hurry and my mind wandered, so it happens. I've also blamed people for damage when really it was the rabbits doing the pruning. My dogs weren't doing their job, I guess!
When Austrian Copper gets bigger, it will get its revenge on the workers!
