I don't know anything about Cherry Laurels, but since you asked for alternate suggestions you might take a look at Suspensum Viburnams.

My mature plant has stayed at around a 6 x 6 rounded shape. It's not grown for particularly showy flowers; but for perfect dependability. It's planted about 8 ft away from the west side of the house; full, round, green, and pretty all the way to the bottom -- in shade until very late morning and for rest of the day it gets hot sun.

One reference says to not let dry out between waterings, but mine has done very well with little extra water in a dry location with not very good soil.

Here is a link that might be useful: Suspensum Viburnam ...

Disclaimer: I *loathe* cherry laurel.

That said, I've lived with them for most of my life and I'd say that keeping 200 feet of them pruned to five feet would be a project worthy of a bonsai master.

I had a dwarf one that got taller than the house.

Thanks for your input. Somehow, it's just about what I expected. I'm definitely gonna talk her into getting rid of what she has and go another route.

Rosalee, the stuff I found says it is NOT cold hardy, and I know this winter and last were unusal....However, we have a couple of weeks in the low 30's every winter. Otherwise it sounds perfect. Will think about it.

Laurel cherry makes a fabulous hedge, but you have to be keen on trimming often as it grows pretty fast. I recommend it since it is pest free and needs no special care. Paul.

Ginnypenny, not cold hardy for Maine, but it's perfectly cold hardy in zones 8, where stuff is safe down to 10 degrees, and zones up. I'm in N.W. San Antonio. Where does your sister in law live?

Maybe some of the small hollies or Indian Hawthorns would be good, but I can't heartily recommend what I don't grow. I tried Carissa holly, but it died before it got established, probably because I wasn't watching it close enough through the summer, but you might take a look at it.

I see lots of Indian Hawthorns in commercial plantings. Another one I see that stays nice and rounded is the small version of pomegranate.

Here is a link that might be useful: Carissa holly ...

She's in Jacksonville, about 25 miles south of Tyler.

Rosalee, the sites I saw said zones 9-10, but we may still go with these. On the pomegranate, are they all evergreen? I thought so, but someone told me they lose their leaves in winter????

In addition to the camelais ..whatever..she has several hollies around the foundation of the house, as well as nandinas.

I may try to get photos of her place. It's so nice, I hate
to be the one to mess it up. Know what I mean?

How about an Oakleafed Hydrangia. MY Laurel got huge. I liked it but I wanted a large plant between me and the neighbor's favela at my old house. Somehow I don't think it will work out at your sister's garden. I would have a hard time suggesting anything to my sister, but that I should save for another forum.(LOL).

Ginny, I was thinking the dwarf pomegranate was evergreen, but I went by where I knew that was a planting of them among other things at a strip center, but it was bare. It's such a pretty thing for most of the year that I didn't remember it any other way.

I thought for years they were evergreen also...just goes to show you.

Don't the oak leave hydrangea also lose their leaves? I kind think there are some all ready in place...it's hard for me to identify all the dry "sticks" in the bed. I'm waiting for them to leaf out so I'll know what's already there. Lots of bulbs coming up now.

How about a Bay Laurel? It will keep it's leaves all winter. And it won't be poisonous, like the Cherry Laurel. And it won't grow wildly out of control and needs tons of upkeep.

This link calls it a tree, but I mostly see it in the shrub section of most nurseries.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sweet Bay Laurel