I hate to take out a full-grown rhododendron, but I do believe the time has come. The term 'overgrown foundation plantings' might have been coined just for my situation.If you can believe it, I've already pulled a small Japanese maple out of this mess - and not from a corner either, from the wee small space in the middle between a Camelia and the rhododentron/tree.
I don't know how well you can see it in the picture - I tried to put together two shots from different angles - but starting from the left there's a medium size rhodie, then a tall rhodie that has fused with some sort of evergreen that was planted behind it. The frankenrhodie has also been infested with bracken ferns - and in the summer enterprising specimens peek out the side and even the top.
So I think I'm ready to do something about the situation this year (something involving a chainsaw), and I'm hoping for some inspiration and ideas on what to chop and what to put in after the chopping is done. This is the North side of my house so it's pretty shady, but some sun does come in from the West side. I would call my style Pacific Northwest Cottage Garden. So what do you think - take out both rhodies and the evergreen? Leave the smaller rhodie? What could go here instead?
Thanks in advance for any ideas.
