Overgrown boxwoods

[Wakey]

I've got a month to occupy my mind before we close on this property. I can't decide wether I should cut these to 18 to 24" stumps or remove these altogether and plant azaleas and perhaps something else. These things are huge, the 2nd picture shows the depth. Even the first bush on the right is at least 5' tall.

 

[Wagtail]

Nice looking growth on them (depending on when the picture was taken). Is there somewhere else that you could transplant them to?

 

[Wakey]

Nice looking growth on them (depending on when the picture was taken). Is there somewhere else that you could transplant them to?

I believe these pics were taken during the winter.

To me these look dated and really overgrown. But I'm not a landscape architect. I am open to all opinions.

 

[oosik]

I, also, think they look good. If you want to clear out the front of the house - I would look for someplace else to plant them. You could dig them up, prune and replant in a location that you like.

 

[s219]

They sure look healthy, but someone let them get too big for the scale of the house/landscape.

 

[Wakey]

Any idea of a course of action to bring them to scale? Just clip them back with hedge trimmers or something more drastic?

And those shutters, I'd love a color suggestion for repainting them, they are very faded. I'm awful picking colors but I can easily form an opinion of a finished product!

The roof is only 4 years old so I'm stuck with that dormer for now.

Soffit, fascia and the dormer are all vinyl so I guess that color is set as well.

I'll be building another home on this property so I really just want to do cheap modifications to this house.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

I also dislike boxwood. I have found (twice) that if they are significantly pruned back they do not fill back in well. YMMV.
If it were me, I'd put in a low mixed perennial bed. I think long one-species beds like that (or with azaleas) have gone out of style. :confused3:

 

[Wakey]

I also dislike boxwood. I have found (twice) that if they are significantly pruned back they do not fill back in well. YMMV. If it were me, I'd put in a low mixed perennial bed. I think long one-species beds like that (or with azaleas) have gone out of style. :confused3:

Being from Louisiana I'll never tire of azalea. I guess I could put perennials in the front, perhaps a raised bed. Good idea.

But this is what I have to decide.

 

[Trials]

imho The 2 bushes on either side of the front walk would be gone immediately, they are probably even doing damage to your stone or brickwork walkway, then I would probably remove half the rest and try to bring the remaining ones back into control/shape. That would give you room to put in some small raised beds for flowering perennials.

 

[dickfoster]

I've got a month to occupy my mind before we close on this property. I can't decide wether I should cut these to 18 to 24" stumps or remove these altogether and plant azaleas and perhaps something else. These things are huge, the 2nd picture shows the depth. Even the first bush on the right is at least 5' tall.

Maybe dig them up and transplant along the driveway or do you have some frontage that could use some screening. Start your own hedge maze like the one in The Shining is another option.

 

[Wakey]

Maybe dig them up and transplant along the driveway or do you have some frontage that could use some screening. Start your own hedge maze like the one in The Shining is another option.

A couple people have suggested transplanting them and I was thinking, why? There you go, privacy!

 

[dickfoster]

A couple people have suggested transplanting them and I was thinking, why? There you go, privacy!

But chasing your wife and kids around a maze with an axe would be more entertaining. :laughing:

No I didn't really mean it, I just thought that movie was funny after seeing it the first time.