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Pic: What's the name of these?

dtownjbrown
13 years ago

Can someone help me identify these evergreen shrubs? I want them gone so I can plant more flowers....any suggestions, tips or advice on removing them (or not)? Thanks in advance :-)

{{gwi:250979}}

Comments (14)

  • Embothrium
    13 years ago

    Too far away to be sure, sheared outlines allow for no distinctive features to be presented. Need to see leaves to tell.

    Don't need to know what they are to remove them.

  • dtownjbrown
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    I found a closeup pic of one of my coneflowers when it was ailing....it shows the leaves much better

    {{gwi:250980}}

  • Iris GW
    13 years ago

    I think that's a yew.

  • dtownjbrown
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thanks esh ga! I did an internet search and it looks like you might be right. I saw a couple pics of yews with the same little red berries that show up on my shrubs. By the way....is it true that ALL yews are poisonus (except for the berry)? I have a 10-month old daughter that just loves to put things in her mouth (GASP!!!)

  • goodbyekitty
    13 years ago

    I have a fascination with hedges and English gardening. Have you seen Alice in Wonderland? I googled yew hedges too and found some of the most awsome monstrosity of hedges created by yews. They are beautiful and ancient! I can't get over how they can grow and grow without getting leggy.

    I'd love to put in thick hedges for privacy between my neighbors and keep our dog inside our yard. The yews may not be appropriate in the front of your house like that but they would make a nice hedge along side your driveway.

  • Embothrium
    13 years ago

    As long as the foundation is of acceptable aspect take these shrubs out and plant some other kinds, that complement the new flowers in a grouping at the corner (to the left), where it would continue the background for the flowers beyond the building (and also soften the building).

  • Dan _Staley (5b Sunset 2B AHS 7)
    13 years ago

    Agreed its yew (not you Julie Brown) and agreed you don't need to know the name to remove it.

    Dan

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    13 years ago

    what difference does it matter.. get rid of them .... they are ugly.. overgrown.. overly mature.. over sheared.. and offer nothing to your house aesthetic ....

    cut off everything to about 2 to 3 feet ... and we will use those stumps to work on removal .. start digging [call miss dig if you are NOT sure where any utilities are] ... you will most likely find 3 to 5 major roots.. and once those are cut ... the plant will pull out.. using the stumps to rock it back and forth.. will help ID where the roots are.. and there will be one problem one.. that goes straight down where you cant dig .... it will take a few hours.. but the exercise will be worth it ...

    and as for the kiddo ....from stay at home dad ... the biggest lesson for a mom who likes to garden.. is to teach them that food comes out of the kitchen .. and nothing in the yard is to be eaten ... it wont take all that long, they are smarter than you think ... .. and use a .. portable foldable playpen in the yard .... my two used to nap out in the shade .... while i puttered around

    and when they get old enough .. you take them from plant to plant ... and start teaching... and keep a small table on the patio with some cheese and fruit.. so that when the need to graze arises.. kiddo knows right where to find it ...

    presume that everything in the yard is poisonous.. it would probably horrify you to learn most are on some level .... so teaching that mom is the food provider is important ...

    its fun in the garden with a child..

    ken

    PS: BTW... i think the red berries are incredibly bitter .. as i seem to recall i tried one once .. to find out ... and odds are.. they will be rejected before enough are eaten to make a problem .... not that you want to risk it of course ... and do keep in mind MANY house plants are also poisonous ....

    pps: another example .... potato is part of the nightshade family ... and i think even the plant is bad .. but the fruit/spud is not ... go figure on that ...

  • ditas
    13 years ago

    I called them the *generic* shrubs used by developers in our old neighborhood. I took all 15 of mine down (but 2 in a corner - for Winter birds' refuge) they got uglier than sin, when the front got shaded by trees that got old with us! To this day, am still juggling plants (perennials & shrubs) around for the dappled shade front - 'am tagged as *plant relocator Queen* - the funnest part of gardening IMHO.

    Agree w/ Ken in keeping 'yung-uns' out in the shade w/ a bit of encagement - take them for tours in your garden ventures around your own OASIS! ... as they get older they'll get the hang of it & claim their own piece of your soil for their very own & decorate them as they please & learn about aesthetics & respect for those very lovely & not so lovely critters that share the OASIS w/ you (I figure they owned the place first!) & perhaps created an atmosphere of *Welcome*! My grand-daughter has her own Isle highlighted by a Princess Kyushu tree that never failed to fetch wolf-whistles from walkers-by! Grand-boys helped create a sunny *Long Island* for butterflies (after I reclaimed their soccer-kicking field ... they out-grew!!!) etc etc etc!

    Anyway rip out the yews & create your OASIS ... not to forget a birdbath ... guaranteed, your soul will sip the coolest drink!!! Â;)

    FWIW - Chiao!

  • dtownjbrown
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thanks to everyone for your suggestions but a special "shout out" to Ken for the portable playpen idea (Ive been putting her in her walker on the lawns, which she hates because she cant move)...and to Ditas for the "personal island" idea (I'll start thinking now about where I can fit one in the backyard). XOXO to all :-)

    p.s. the only reason I wanted to know what they were was so I could plant some in the backyard for privacy

  • ditas
    13 years ago

    Me again - If backyard is sunny - these guys will do quite well for privacy - the 2 I saved, keep the birds safe from those prawlers! I've seen them used as you are thinking (more than sufficiently!) Look into Tsugas (spell?) as well for your plans!

    Much best wishes!!! Â;)

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    13 years ago

    i will shout out right back at ya.. YOU ARE WELCOME ...

    man.. you brought back of flood of memories with my 12 year old ....

    at link is the type i had ... but with a tent roof and squeeter netting ....

    then i used a flat cotton sheet inside.. for hot days ... this thing went everywhere with us.. parties.. garden visits ... and she seemed happy getting away from peeps some times.. it used to be her.. blankie.. and a 2 foot red tubby.. po i think .... and she thought it was hilarious.. when i put her in.. and filled it to the brim with all the other stuffed animals ....

    and i started to remembered the baggies of oyster crackers ... and cheeses...

    i tell you ... that girl spent the first few years toddling around out on our 2/3 of an acre in her diaper ... i guess that explains why she is still a dirt monkey .... here is the kids current MUD pit ... [its shaded for the freckled red head boy ... but do you think he plays in the shade.. nooooooo]

    {{gwi:250981}}

    wow thats an old pic ...

    oh.. and use a timer ... and every hour or two.. take a time out for snack .. get them on schedule.. and them they wont get so ravenous.. that they start eating the shrubs.. lol .... and if they take a nap at the exact same moment every day.. they will tend to go to bed at the same time ...

    my entire child rearing philosophy was all about schedules and predictability .... and to this day .. the 8 y.o. boy.. still starts falling asleep at 7:55 pm on the clock as one might say ....

    post us a pic of the new garden.. when you pull the plug on those ugly shrubs..

    ken

    Here is a link that might be useful: link

  • ditas
    13 years ago

    Ken BRAVO!!! Mine was a very much smaller piece of soil ... I'll have to be introduced back to my DH if it were anything like yours.

    My eldest is now 47 - oldest grand will be 20y/o talk about memories ... !!!!!

    My dau had a tractor-tire sand-box that later she planted seed pockets of watermelon, strawberry, cantalope (all favs) she bought from Cub Scouts.

    My encagement for grandkids (ma/pa at wk while I play w/ dirt) nothing sophisticated as in the link ... plastic sectional dog-pen, very nice/roomy & I got a picnic mat from Asian store the neighbor kids conglomerated here ... funny even preferred our blow up plastic pool w/ sprinkler lasted for a few years indeed! ... kids w/ those yellow & red Tonka-dump-trucks carried dirt as my grand w/friends helped put those HD red tiles around my huge Linden tree to hop around on, after sinking all sorts of seeds amongst all the hostas & coralbells etc ... B'bath is just a huge plant dish that sits on a square tile held down by a large rock ... listen to the laughter of kids watching birds scrubbing under-wings ... Squirrels on their own Squirrel-feeder nailed on the tree trunk !!! MEMORIES keep us old foggies young ... loan them out to their Mimis & Poppos!!!

    G Jekyll wrote:" There is no piece of ground, however arid, bare or ugly; that cannot be tamed in such a state, as may give an impression of beauty & delight!"

  • ditas
    13 years ago

    Must say sorry to have swerved - hope you're not too sorry u ask the *?*.

    I promise to simply read next time I chk in - Den mom's honor!!!

    Hug your child for me!