A garden mystery

Hi, members...

This is two mysteries in one: identify a plant and identify a culprit. My
brother-in-law's wife, who is also my neighbor, called me today to ask if I
had seen anyone parked near one of her flowerbeds. She had just discovered
that one kind of plant that was scattered throughout a mixed border had all
been cut off at about 3" from the ground. She had started the plants from
seed, but could not remember whether they were annuals, biennials, or
perennials. She did say, however, that they were a freebie from some seed
company and that they were supposedly good for drying. Well, of course I
had to go out and take a look. Sure enough, the clumps had been shorn as
neatly as if cut with scissors, though I've had things eaten by cows that
looked just like that. Plants had had purple flowers but there was one
plant with a white flower that hadn't been eaten. The remaining leaves and
the white flower were much like campanula glomerata, but quite a bit
shorter. Is there a dwarf campanula glomerata? What other plant, easily
grown from seed, would have a similar appearance? The primary surrounding
plants are (uneaten) blooming shasta daisies. Dianthus and petunias (also
uneaten) are in the area. What do you think the plant is, and what do you
think ate it? We have a few deer around here, but they seldom come near the
houses. I've noticed nothing amiss in my extensive flowerbeds.

Myrna, Zone 3, Montana

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