I think it is boxwood. No dog pee. Also, it was longer and for some reason my husband and dad cut it right to the dead spot when they should’ve cut past it to begin with. The branches are so brittle they just snap in that area. I don’t know why. I found a similar bush at lowes called a boxwood and I think that’s what this is. I know it needs to be trimmed up as I want the formal look. I do see it is slowly growing at the base, but I’m not sure I can wait that long as I hate looking at the spot.

"I’m not sure I can wait that long as I hate looking at the spot."

Look elsewhere for awhile.

If you can not wait, try putting in either some yard art or even potted plants that you can move as the hedge regrows? Good luck!

It definitely isn't boxwood, Jonnie. If you would like an id you could post on the Name that Plat Forum here on gardenweb. You'd also need to give a geographical location since that affects the possible species it might be.

Looks like Choisya

shrubs grow in shrub time ... shorter than tree time.. longer than annuals and perennials ...

its early spring .. and i suspect.. by fall ... shrub time.. it will be 50 to 75% filled in ...

the only problem i see .. is your need for instant gratification ... so... if you can temper that ... then just give the plant the time it needs to fill in ... which will start with later spring growth ... in the last pic.. i think i see only and inch or so of spring growth ... so its still early.. though you are way ahead of this MI boy ...

as the buds start growing.. continue to remove any dead stuff out of it.. back to live buds ... and just give it the time it needs ..

even if you do plant something else.. it isnt going to fill in ... due to transplant shock and all ... and if there is no ongoing issue .. the established plants.. will probably outgrow and out compete the new guy ... imo.. it isnt worth the effort ...

im not quite understanding what is to the right of the plants... is that a driveway.. or garden bed????

btw.. sounds like dad did it mostly properly.. in removing the dead stuff.. maybe not going far enough as you suggest ... and to be clear.. if dad is providing free labor ... try not to cause that to stop ... free labor is free labor.. lol ...

ken

ps: if you have some garden art. or some such.. that you can put there to take your eye away while it regrows.. that might solve your hatred of focusing on it ... how about a gnome.. lol ...

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=garden+gnome&t=ffcm&iar=images&iax=images&ia=images

where the new sod was put in and the cement pavers.

==>> i suspect we know how the injury occurred ... how was the old grass or whatever removed??? .. perhaps someone turning a sod cutter.. prepping for the new sod... ???

or somehow cut all the surface roots of the plant ... though if that were so.. i would expect damage other than just on this end ...

ken

It's neither boxwood nor choisya....I'd lean heavily towards escallonia but knowing location would help with confirming ID.

And if it is escallonia, any bare spots should fill in over the season, provided they receive sufficient sunlight. Which could be a bit tricky with that specific location.

Jonnie, earlier this month on another of your threads I gave you information about Detchai Allison, including his phone number. You really should call him. He re-landscaped our front yard, and we plan to use him to re-do our backyard, too. He is great when it comes to landscape design and plants (he has a degree in landscape architecture). We have a really tiny, oddly shaped front yard because of our lot size (very large by today's northern California standards), shape (sort of pie shaped because we're on the curve of an L-shaped cul-de-sac), and the way our house sits on the lot. He did a fantastic job and we are very happy with it and with him.

It kooks like a Euonymus. Does it get white flowers on it in August?

I also thought of Escallonia but no flowers have been mentioned, although might be duetothe shearing, and there's something bothering me about the overall habit. Are the leaves slightly sticky looking?

Not Choysia which has palmately compound, unserrated leaves. Nor does it look much like a Euonymus to me. All the ones I'm familiar with have opposite leaves, not alternate like the plant in the picture.

Floral, it could be a combo of excessive shearing and a bit too much shade that is resulting on no or poor flowering but it sure looks like escallonia to me :- ) There is a hedge of it down the street that looks exaclty like that one and even in considerable sun, seldom blooms.

Escallonia was indeed my first impression. Just something a bit odd about the overall photo. But I seldom see it sheared and shaded. My dad and I planted an Escallonia hedge long, long ago. But we didn't shear it. It bloomed well.

There has never been a single flower on this hedge or a bud or anything. It needs to be sheared as it is in my yard, but runs along the border of my neighbors yard, so will get crazy and grow over her side. The dead spot as been there since we bought the house about 2 years ago. I may have made it a little worse as I was investigating and the he’s were so brittle and would just break off. The hedge used to run all the way to the sidewalk. We cut it back as it was a blind spot as I have small children and I like to be able to see past it and cars to see the yard when my kids play out there. The cement block in front of it will not stay there, currently under construction. So the dirt area in front of it is going to be river rock. We removed the old m sod to the side of the hedge and never ran into it or anything. Sorry if I sound Impatient about it, for some reason it has always bugged me and I’m not an anal person at all! I don’t think the leaves are sticky looking, but I will check again. There is a very large oak tree in the yard so it may not receive adequate sunlight it needs. Also it tends to get compacted with leaves.

Why not just rip the whole thing out?