Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Bye Bye Big Green Monster

I finally did it.  I removed the beast.  Well, technically, The Dad removed the beast.  But it was my wild hair that made it happen.

This photo is from last May.


I started in on the lilac first.  
He got a head-high whack job.
It did bloom halfway decent this year, but the flowers were so dang high that you couldn't even see them.
I've been threatening to take it out, but I figured I'd give this a whirl first.



Once that was done, I turned my attention to the cypress.
He had long outgrown his welcome.
He was very cute when he was little.  And stayed cute for several years.
But then he got to the point of having to be pruned with hedge trimmers all the way around to keep him in check.
Three years of that and I was over it.
The Dad went after him with a jig saw.



Bye bye, big guy.




I moved the big metal stand over there, just to see how it looked.
I don't love it, so I think it'll find a new spot, but here's a before and after of the porch view.

May 2014.


Now.


I can spy on my kids in the yard across the street.  ;o)


It's crazy how much it opened up the front yard.
Plus, the view from the kitchen and dining room is so much different.
The lilac will be back, so that won't change all that much in the long term, but the cypress made a HUGE difference in person.
Here's the view from the street in a photo from last July.


And now.



Ahhh, so much more open.
It drove me nuts that it was completely blocking the porch.
Yes, for privacy sake it was nice, but it was just too big for the space.




I may even whack the lilac lower.






I added to the heaping pile yesterday, too.
I went after the Butterfly Bush out back.
Yes, I sacrificed this year's flowers, but it DESPERATELY needed it, and will be better in the long run.


I'll get some photos of the results of that, next time I'm out back with my camera.
Until then, I snapped a few out front when I was taking "after" photos.

The Beauty Bush is still puttin' on a show.


The despised climbing rose is loaded with buds.
And black spot.  And rust.



And last, when I was out doing demo, my neighbor brought me a piece of Columbine, that I stuck in under the tree.
Isn't he cute?!



Until next time.......


13 comments:

  1. Remind me never to get on your bad side - yikes. I like the metal sculpture there from the pictures anyway.

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  2. You did good buddy!!! It is an amazing transformation....I'm not kidding....the space it creates now changes the feel of your whole garden! I I love that you can see your pretty house now! Hope you had a great weekend! Nicole xo

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  3. Thriving yard! I don't envy the effort to remove the offenders though.
    Looks very open now. :)

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    1. Seriously, my arms and shoulders are STILL sore!

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  4. Yeah, it looks a lot better - those cypress shrubs do need heir space! I am one who likes the metal thing, sculpture, whatever it is that took it's place.

    Don't know where you live, but wow you have a lot of blooming going on already. Here in Michigan, so far all I'm seeing is forsythia and daffodils & other bulbs. Plus this week it's getting cold again so the blooming is still a long way off.

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    1. It was a lemon cypress, so at least it smells good as it was being cut down. :)

      We're in Oregon, so definitely ahead of a lot of other states in the spring department. The forsythia and bulbs are the first signs here, as well. Hope the warmer weather heads your way soon!

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    2. I think I need to move to Oregon ... ;-)

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  5. Well, I'm impressed. And now I want to get our lilac trees (not bushes anymore) whacked like yours, hope they come back, but they are so tall with the blooms so high that I didn't even realize they were blooming. Your yard looks beautiful, and now you have more room to play with!

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  6. A vast improvement. I've never cut a lilac back so hard. So it will resprout?

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  7. So is trimming the lilacs the trick to get them to bloom all over the bush? Seems all the ones I'm seeing around here are loaded in flowers. You did good getting rid of the cypress ~ it was definitely in the way!

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  8. At first I thought you changed your hubby's mind and took out the palm! Truthfully I liked that Cypress and the tall lilac but it's not my garden and I don't have to deal with it--just admire it from afar. You've definitely created more space for plant treasures. I love how enclosed and private your front yard is. No neighbor dogs pooping on your plants.

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  9. Your front yard is so beautiful and full, MIndy!
    I'm a fan of cypress, but also think that they can get too big sometimes. I can't believe how different your front yard looks without it. It looks completely different. I LOVE how removing it opened your yard. It even makes the space look bigger . . .and your house brighter. So YAY on all home fronts :0)
    I don't know how you do all that you do! Seriously!
    Oh! Have you ever seen P. Allen Smith's show on PBS? I think of you every time I watch it. PBS airs repeat shows every morning, and new ones on Saturdays. I think you'd love it!
    And . . . can you recommend any full shade flowers/plants to me? I have a long strip in my patio that NEEDS long-lasting shade flowers or plant. Thoughts? Ideas?
    I hope you're having a great week,
    Suzanne

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  10. I am always just in awe of your gardens and all you accomplish there. I bet it is the showplace of the neighborhood! Glad you removed the tree- I do think it opens things up and gives you more light and makes the yard seem even larger.

    Just so you know- you have two pop-up "surveys" that come up when scrolling on your blog that "follow" you as you scroll down. Probably nothing you can do about it-but wanted you to know-

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