replacing holly trees

3 years ago

I would like to remove these two holly trees on each side of my front porch. They are dying. What is something else I can put here? I think it will look uneven if I don’t replace. New holly trees in their place? Something else?

Off to the right is a very HIGH large rounded bush. All here when we moved in. I don’t mind it, but it probably looks kind of crazy. I find it helps block wind against those windows though, so must’ve stayed put for a reason.

Featured Answer

KW PNW Z8

3 years ago

last modified: 3 years ago

@ANC J Wow - what a difference seeing the entire front view of house makes for both making an impression and offering advice! Thanks for adding the pics. That left side garden scape with the tree is pretty nice! My advice has changed from what I initially offered. Now my first priority would be to get that ginormous arborvitae out of there! We’ve had to remove one before & were surprised at how easily it came out along with most of its roots. Just cut it down to a manageable size to cut around the base & pull out. It’s blocking easy passage around to your back porch entry & really overwhelms its space is why I’d want it out post haste. I’d replace it with a red leafed plant for a counterpoint to the red maple & the other red shrubs I now see on left side in the added pics. You are in much colder area than I am so a trip to nursery for specific plant advice is all I will suggest. But, ask about ”Twombley’s Red Maple” to learn if it’s a candidate for your area & that spot. It’s a small & very narrow tree. Look around your area for a plant that appeals & has the attributes of red leaves, narrow profile, not too tall & take a picture of it with you for ID. Also take a picture of the space to fill for best advice. The hollies - well, since they’re not the prickly kind & since I now see more space behind the red maple on left than I initially thought was there - I’d prune them down to just a bit above height of porch landing. They may recover from the Round Up if there’s any unaffected growth on them now. If they continue to die, then of course out they go & replace with a narrow slow growing evergreen & maybe not the same thing on the right side - don’t need to match & that’s a narrower space.

One last comment - though you acquired ’mature landscaping’ with your new home, garden scapes are not a static, once and done thing. Just like the interiors of our homes, our exteriors benefit from periodic updates and refreshes. Plants outgrow their spaces and no amount of pruning can fix them or, they require too much effort to maintain. That’s my policy & also my excuse for changing things around in my own yard which I love to do. But, you are smart to live with what you have for a season just to see how everything works or doesn’t work - just like we should do with interiors of new homes!

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Comments (9)

KW PNW Z8
3 years ago
My vote is to remove & not replace with anything in ground planted in that spot. Wondering if that holly is the ouchie kind & who plants that next to an entry door? Regardless, I think it’s fortuitous that the plants are dying as, left alone, your entry would soon become overgrown & crowded & the windows blocked. Taken out now, that pretty red maple will shine & become a perfect focal point for your entry. That very high shrub to right looks like an arborvitae & yes, it needs to come out or at least be cut to below window height. I’m not sure it would survive that severe pruning & its top will look bad when cut. I’m pretty sure it won’t generate new top growth. I’d take this in steps - take out the 2 hollies & see how it opens up your entry. ID the small plant right of holly on right - it may grow to fill the space there - we need to see what it is to make a suggestion about a more appropriate replacement for the holly there or whether just wait. Replace the pot on porch with a larger one & fill with bright colored plants. Cut as much as you can off top & sides of overgrown Arb on right. We need to know where you are to make plant suggestions but my bet is you are in an area that has snow in winter! Very cute doggie in door!
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Dig Doug's Designs
3 years ago
Here are a few suggestions:
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jck910
3 years ago
Agree with everything @KW PNW Z8 says. Also post a picture of the entire front of the house for better suggestions
ANC J thanked jck910
ANC J
Original Author
3 years ago
@dig Doug designs thank you for that mock-up! Looks beautiful! So many possibilities. We moved in and have kept everything as is just trying to maintain the last year. We think it’s very nice but excited to make some changes. Absolutely love those pavers…never thought of that before
ANC J
Original Author
3 years ago
Thank you @kwpnwz8 we are in North Jersey. moved in last winter to mature landscaping. Very nice but we are considering updates, maybe more than we originally thought now that you’ve pointed those things out. The Holly isn’t pointy just kind of ugly now :( I tried identifying it on an app and it said the previous owners may have had it touched by RoundUp and caused issues. The arborvitae is crazy and makes us laugh. I don’t think it could be cut, agree it wouldn’t generate new top growth. Maybe that’s for next year as seems like a larger project. I will post the whole front as someone suggested. Thanks!
Mrs Pete
3 years ago
Before I'd replace a dying holly tree with another holly tree, I'd want to know this: WHY did the first one die? Was it that your climate, your lighting or your soil is unsuitable for holly trees? If so, you certainly should make a different choice. A good nursery should be able to suggest plants best-suited to your area.
ANC J thanked Mrs Pete
ANC J
Original Author
3 years ago
Here are some more photos of the front. We need to trim these bushes on the right and plan to keep that side as is. There’s a pretty weeping cherry tree on the end that we love. Only blooms pink for 2 weeks but stays nice and green otherwise. So it seems the holly tree and everything on the other side is up for changes. Thanks!
ANC J
Original Author
3 years ago
@mrs Pete- we are west facing and get a ton of sun. Seems that’s okay for these trees. I did some research and it seems the prior owners might have used roundup and the chemical harmed them? I posted to a plantID message board and that was a suggestion. My neighbors have an intact holly tree so maybe that. The rest of the bushes are fine. I will go to a nursery and see what they say. Thanks!