From Evergreen to Evercrappy
June 29th, 2006 
by Susan Harris
Readers may have noticed that I’m a diehard fan of evergreens; I preach their virtues year-round. So when I complain about one of them, you know it’s with a heavy heart. But who can blame me? This English roseum rhodo is, according to my local nurseryman, one of the best-performing in Maryland, so what does that tell you?
Well, it’s telling me that like my truly pitiful leucothoes, it’s time for this to go. I’ve given it 15 of the best years of my life, after all, and a position of honor in the front garden just inside my gate as if to say "Welcome to my garden; this is the best I can do with my plants." Uh-uh; I have a reputation to live up to, after all.
Like any gardener, I’m naturally thrilled to have the space for something I don’t already have - maybe something showy in winter like a witch hazel. I guess my heart wasn’t that heavy after all if I’m already dreaming of this guy’s replacement. (And no, I see no obvious parallels with my lovelife.)
Posted in Plants | 
| Permalink
June 29th, 2006 at 9:46 pm
You are doing the right thing! It does take courage to take out a non-performing plant, to admit it isn’t going to make it, in spite of all that you have done for it. Keep telling yourself that the replacement will be so much better!
June 30th, 2006 at 9:25 am
Hi,
I just started reading your blog. What evergreens do you recommend for screening a view and adding privacy? Please don’t say Leland Cypress.
Thanks,
Kathleen
June 30th, 2006 at 9:54 am
Kathleen - see the category “Borders” for my latest answer to that question. Though more will be revealed, this being Nature and all.