Aye, There’s the Shrub

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Did I seriously just make a Shakespeare pun? What a dork.

Anywho, in case the title wasn’t a clue, our neglected front and side hedges are the subject of today’s post.

There really isn’t too much going on in our front lawn that I want to keep, but Scott and I unfortunately do not have the time or the budget to update the outside of the house while we’re still struggling with half-finished subflooring indoors. But ripping everything out and not having something to replace them with would leave this old lady of a house completely exposed. I don’t know about you, but exposed old ladies really aren’t my thing.

I’ll have to make do with what’s already here and maintain it until we have the opportunity to make some changes. With any luck, my aunt and uncle’s visit will be just the thing! I decided that trimming back the hedges was an absolute must. In general, you want to have about twelve inches of space between your landscaping and the foundation of your house, especially if you have a cedar-sided home like mine. We got rid of our termite problem just before moving in, and I would really rather not have them back! Termites are not the only risk of having plants too close to the house, though. Adequate spacing also allows rainfall to reach the soil and makes it easier for you to have access to the exterior of your home . If you live in a hot and humid climate like I do, air circulation is especially important for preventing plant disease and rot. As you can see in the below pic, we clearly had some work to do.

On a trip to my local Orange, I picked up a refurbished Black & Decker hedge trimmer which was a new discovery for me. I didn’t know that they sold refurbished/used equipment, but at a $20 discount from the brand new trimmer right next to it, I thought I’d give it a chance. Green and budget-friendly!

To me, a hedge trimmer is exactly the same as what I imagine a giant turkey cutter would look like. I planned to use it in about the same manner. Meaning, I handed it over to Scott and let him do the trimming.

After only an hour, Scott had most of the unwanted branches trimmed away, which exposed how truly beaten up our front siding has become. I know that we have to replace it soon, but baby steps are A-OK with me.