Help me solve this garden mystery

[partyetiquette]

Planted two plants in an outdoor planter yesterday. Today there's only one, but no hole, the soil is all level on top. Gardener came today and insists she did not remove it. Is she lying? Could an animal have dragged it out?

More likely an animal has eaten it.

What type of plant?

We found this,blamed the poor puppy (although wondering how she could have reached the plants, they have their own area, fence and gate) bought a cheap wildlife camera,omg it was foxes.

Are there any roots left?

Likely to be foxes. They've been burying eggs in one of our planters. No idea where they got the eggs from though.

What kind of plant was it?

Around here, the slugs and snails are true professionals and could probably demolish a small shrub overnight

It was a Coreopsis but not flowering. It was about 3 inches tall. The soil is totally flat though

No

Did you dig down to see if the root ball is still there?

Then that is pretty accomplished, to remove the whole thing without any obvious disturbance.

This is what I mean, the entire plant has vanished as if I never planted it, roots and all. The soil is all flat. I thought my cleaner might have thought it was a weed and got rid but she insists not

I've got a picture with the planter behind at 9pm last night , two plants, this evening, no soil on the patio, plant totally vanished

@partyetiquette that’s nuts! I was about to ask if you planted one elsewhere and forgot - but if you have before and after pics there is something fishy going on.

I know it sounds silly but it's really freaked me out!

I think my gardener must have weeded it although why she didn't just say, I have no idea