Sometime this week, my huge globe arborvitae will be yanked out from my front walkway. They made lovely Xmas decorations with those net lights twined around.

However, I have clipped them back and tried to make them fit between my angled sidewalk and the front porch, and its just a no-go.

Now I'l have a six/eight foot empty space on each side of the walkway, and a walkway that people can acutally navigate without trying to skirt around the right side 'big A'.

Some balance will be lost here, and I did like the symmetry of those two big beauties. They were a gift from the builder. Beware of builders bearing gifts.

Now will have to think long and hard about replacements.

I might just go with all perennials. Am not a fan of so-called 'foundation' plantings. Anyway, my front foundation is a ranch with nice fieldstone to the ground in places.

Does anyone have favorite dwarf shrubs you would recommend?

This is south-facing, mostly wind sheltered zone 5. Or

perennials that I can leave up to anchor the front porch?

Pondy