The shrub is Buxus, Box. There are several reasons why box dies out in patches. One is Box blight. Another is having a dog or tom cat which pees on the shrubs. Another is winter damage.

what flora meant to say ... lol

where are you???

do you have a dog.. no scale to the pic.. how high is the damage ... [though it looks very high for dag.. perhaps dingo???]

take a cutting to your extension office ... and ID if there is a pathogen .. no chemical remedies..w/o a full and complete ID... we cant do such with a pic ... high end nursery would probably be an alternative

ken

Could be root rot. This kind of thing is a perfect example of how you take a chance when using plants for formal effects, and why it is often preferable to avoid this - if something happens to part of the planting the scheme is spoiled.

Like ken said- where in blazes are you?
It is almost impossible to comment on cultural problems without knowing where the plant in question is being grown.

Thanks for all the comments. I am in SC, and we do not have any dogs or any other pets at home. I plan on following thru on some of the suggestions. The damage is at the top of the shrub, approx 5' high

Thks