The first couple years, they grew slowly, but the last few years, they have grown insanely fast. I have recently read that these bushes can get up to 8 or 10 feet tall, and that would definately be the case if I weren't to prune them back at least twice during the growing season, as well as cut all the stems back in the late winter.

Why the landscaper put them in the foreground of my small flowerbed, I'll never know. I know these are in the wrong spot, since there is just no room for a plant that size (much less four!). However, I love the look of the shrub and have no where else to put them in my tiny yard.

What will be the long term impact to the plants if I cut them back to within 10 inches every year (as opposed to cutting just 1/3 of the stems), along with pruning during the season to take off all the 2-3 feet of fast growing "suckers" that seem to grow overnight?

I feel like I'm just hacking away at these poor things in order to keep them from swallowing the entire front of my house.

Thanks.

I have dealt with poor plant selections at my houses by previous owners. I never want to do it, but eventually the shovel comes out and replacements go in. It is not worth the headache at the end of the day.

While you might not find a variegated redtwig dogwood that will fit your spot, there are many smaller variegated shrubs that would be decent replacements.

Digging yours up and putting them in a better spot would put an end to the problem. I'd do it when they were not in leaf.

in the wrong place ....

so why are you fighting a losing battle.. ????

GET RID OF THEM ...

why they did it.. either they were cheap ... Ok.. i have no other reason .. lol ...

its the highlight of the front of your house .... why have a problem out there.. that someone else created ... you can do so much better... once you are rid of the problem ...

good luck

ken

PS: they started going crazy.. because they finally became ESTABLISHED .... they will never slow down again ...