If you don't like them and wish to remove them, then do so! They certainly are not the most creative approach to using that space and the squared off pruning is unfortunate at best, an eyesore at worst. It's your home - plant what you like.

What a refreshing departure from meat ball shrubs - meat cube shrubs.

I would definitely dig them and put something else in this spot. If you want to move them to an area where they can grow normally, and not just discard them, it might be worth a shot. You can dig them up (soon), replant them elsewhere, and try restorative pruning until they've shown whether they can recover or not.

Reach into the plant and cut off about one third of the closely spaced side branches, back to the main stem, or A main stem if there isn't a single leader. This will allow more light into the center of the plant, will break up the rigid outline, and may encourage more natural growth. By the third year the shrub will have an informal and more natural shape, if it is ever going to.

If that were MY front yard, those things would be yanked up so fast that they would already be a bad memory by the time I finish this post. Don't be held hostage by crummy landscaping choices.

Thanks for the advice. Now, how do I go about removing them? Will the roots come out easy if I dig them up? Also, any ideas as to what will look nice in that area? I am very new to gardening and lanscaping.

How much sun does the spot get?

It looks like you have a similarly cubed azalea (???) on the other side of the doorway and you might want to do something about that too regarding some rejuvenation pruning and having it grow back to a more natural form.

(I posted a response to this in the Landscape forum, but it may have gotten lost in the shuffle.)

Can we see the other side of the door? That will help, since it is almost impossible to address one side without the other. Still, I see a tall conifer by the garage, something low in front of and below (height wise) the bay window, finishing up with something fragrant, appealing and rounded by the door. But again, it matters a great deal what is on the other side.

Patty

I cut down the shrubs, I still have to take out the stumps. I added two oriental lilies, what else should I put there? I think I need help on the other side as well. When we moved in, it was fall and the bushes were bright red, so I assume they are "burning bushes"? Should I pruned them? Also, not sure what the tree is, in the fall, it had red berries, and now it is blooming. Any help will be appreciated.

{{gwi:259075}} {{gwi:259076}}

I would add some small evergreen and deciduous shrubs where you took out the others. If you plant only flowers, there will be nothing there all winter, and most perennials only bloom for a short time anyway.

If they are Burning Bush, they will have ridges that stick out lengthwise on the stems, which is why another common name is Winged Euonymus, those ridges being the "wings". You can cut them back very short and let them grow back in a more natural shape, but they will soon overgrow the space again.

Planting shrubs in a space too small for them at their mature size is one of the most common mistakes.

Thanks for showing the whole thing. With seeing that, I have changed my mind.

I think you could do three of the same exact thing right there (it is possible that originally there were three of those globe arborvitaes.) I say something loose and evergreen...don't know enough about shrubs to advise. Dwarf conifers like juniper or maybe small flowering azaleas perhaps? But I see three all the same right across.

And I agree with saypoint to trim the burning bushes down low.

I like the tree though (it's probably too close to the house but it looks cool.)

Patty

Regarding the burning bushes, should I trim them down low now? Or should I wait until fall? Will the leaves grow back quickly? I just don't want it to look bare all summer.
Thanks for the great advice.