Oh, I didn't know that. I do have some kind of shrub that is continually trying to pop up in flower beds, but always attributed it to my japanese honeysuckle. And NO, I didn't plant any of them - they came with the house. :-) I will prune some now and wait for fall for the rest, but how about the question on how much I can cut it back? They are supposed to be foundation plantings and I'd love to have them be nice, compact little bushes, instead of big out of control monsters.

Hostas are very hardy, and I wouldn't hesitate to move or divide them just about any time, except for dry and hot conditions. As for the Burning Bush - no need to worry about killing them - I doubt you could. They are extremely hardy. Because they are so rugged, growers and nurseries have promoted these things like crazy and they are WAY over-planted, especially in commercial properties. Frankly, the only redeeming quality I see about Burning bush is the fall color - their flowers are inconspicuous and they are boring and ugly shrubs (IMO). They are prohibited because they are invasive. Birds spread the seeds and they have naturalized in wild areas, crowding out native plants. Even after nurseries stop selling them, there are only about a million of them growing in the woods and wild areas everywhere.

I find it invasive. There was a ton of burning bush coming up in a local natural area I was cleaning to be wildlife habitat. It was everywhere. The nearest bush I know of is 1/2 mile away - it's not all over man's yard who has it...but the birds roost in the natural area so therefore poop seeds all night. They don't roost near the Mother shrub. Killing burning bush was a new one on me this year. Also found a lot of Mahonia bealei and liriope coming up. Uggh. Please consider an alternative - red twig dogwood (artic fire - LOUD in winter), ariona (autumn magic is lovely), even the ninebarks. All the color choice (diablo, summer wine, copertina, darts gold) have the same basic shape and beautiful color, winter interest. Moonshine Designs Nursery carries all of these. The ninebark is grown by Monrovia I think so may be easy to find. Tea viburnum (Viburnum setigerum) is a non-native which is not invasive that I know of, vase shape stunning plant and wildlife, woodland friendly. Fairweather Gardens and Lazy S'S Farm Nursery carry this. Check Fairweather Gardens for the Prince William Serviceberry, too, that's a great shrub. Color, berries, good shape, attractive foliage...and coralberry (Symphoricarpos x doorenbosii Amethyst), and snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus), planted together those two are outstanding. And unique. Don't forget unique! This is just one opinion after seeing it carpeting the woods...and rain would be great right about now!! Why copy your neighbor?? Be different! :)

I've got an area with some soon-to-be-removed burning bush, and it is also near what I think is a seasonal stream [thank you for that term: I didn't know _what_ to call the strange soggy area that runs north-south across one section of my property. It was dry during last summer's drought, but wet last spring, and this spring you can actually hear the water trickling through the grass.] Coincidentally, I had just amended some of the clay soil and installed an elderberry and a shrub variety of willow two weeks ago, and discovered after recent rains that they were swimming in water. Digging a trench to drain away that water resulted in a series of equally full trenches. I now want to find natives that would be happy in this area [I don't mind adding peat and compost]. Hearing that viburnum, clethra and amelanchier would be happy there is wonderful news. Now I just have to find nurseries near Baltimore that stock the genuine articles.... [If you haven't guessed, this is only my first full year in this garden; lots of work to do, and lots of lawn to turn into something more useful!]