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.......