A while back we had some landscaping done around our home in an effort to move to native and low-maintenance plants. This work included relocating a couple bushes to more favorable locations in our yard, something we were told would benefit the bushes themselves, the new plants coming in, and the overall aesthetic.
We loved the look of the final result, and it’s much easier to take care of. But before long, it became clear the bushes weren’t moved properly, because they began to die. As seasons passed and native perennials bloomed in their turn, the bushes lost their leaves and grew dry and brittle, finally turning into bare, buff-colored starbursts of pure kindling.
Having read up on the process of relocating bushes, I know that it is indeed a tricky prospect. There are better and worse seasons for this work. The roots require pruning and should not dry out under any circumstances. Who knows exactly what our team did wrong, but until we finally got the bushes removed, there they stood, a visual reminder of the ways our lives are dotted with good intentions and confident overpromises, ignorant errors and egregious mistakes.
