Rhododendron
rosemummy
Posts: 2,010
We have a fairly large inherited rhodo in our front garden, it,s quite a small space and I don, t really like it, it doesn't,t really suit my cottages, herbaceous look, I would like to get rid of it to make room for possibly my new lilac, or maybe a dwarf cherry, I,m a bit scared to make such a drastic change though, and would I physically be able to do it? Any ideasor thoughts anyone?
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Ps, do like either, small rhodo sort large specimens en masse for instance in a woody valley, not 1 random 1 in a townhouse garden!
rosemummy shallow root system so not to hard
We have billions of Rhodi's, inherited from the last owner. Took years to be brave enough to move them, but have never regretted it. Have been known to take a saw to them! Generally, as high as your waist can be dug up with rootball, and replanted, otherwise a small digger will do the trick. But if you don't want to replant, a saw and a lopper will do the trick (apologies to any rhodi lovers!) btw, try and get the roots out, they have a tendency to re grow!
Do it! When we moved house last June I had a large holly in the new front garden which I really disliked. It dominated, and blocked a lot of light to our living room. I got a tree suregon in to take it out in January.
We are so pleased we took it out. It's really opened up the front garden, revealled a previously-hidden path and various other overshadowed plants, and made the living room much lighter.
In its place I've put an obelisk made by father-in-law, and am growing morning glory and sweet peas up it this year. Will decide on a shrub to go there in the next year or so, but will be a 3-4ft high one, not a 20ft thing
before (the ivy is the big blobby thing behind the acer in the foreground)
after (you can see where it overshadowed the grass which has died, and also the path)