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luvahydrangea

New Home Azaleas Dilemma XPosted in Rhodo Forum

luvahydrangea
10 years ago

Hi, I am a gardener and dont usually need to ask for advice but this is something I just can't make my mind up about. In the front of my house pictured beneath the two windows are two large azalea bushes. They are mature and flower beautifully, but I hate the way the previous owner shaped them. Between them had been some very sad looking yews which I have removed. A part of me wants to rip out the azaleas and start fresh, but they do flower nicely, and they are one of the few things that the deer dont eat. I was thinking to just let them naturalize, but will this even happen? And would it fill the gap between them?

The Yews that were previously between them were struggling and sad squished between the azaleas. A part of me (the OCD part) wants to move them over just about 12 inches or so each so that the bed in between them is larger and I can plant something else, what? I'm not sure. Maybe a gold flame spirea? But I dont know how appealing that is to deer. Or a Weigela? Or should i just plant another azalea in the middle, bring the whole bed out further and put a flower garden in front of the azaleas?

I started a small butterfly garden in front of the door way (was previously a patch of pachi sandra). Although the picture looks grey (sorry about that) it is a southern exposure and gets sun all day long. The soil is quite loamy for this part of NY. Deer are a major concern, I often have 7 or 8 of them in my back yard at any given time. Cute but annoying.

Thank you,
Maria

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