My problem is the forsythia. I do not like it. I hate the look of it, ===>>>> start digging .... what more do you want us to say ... there should be no guilt in removing the prior owners mistakes ... sounds like too many ground covers also ... just start by getting rid of what you dont want.. then step back.. and decide what is next ... then try to begin to determine what you DO want ... until you can do that.. its hard for us to tell you what direction to go in .. perhaps a new pic once the removal is done ... with the forsythia there.. i can not understand about the neighbor situation ... i think i see a house back there ... but its hard to analyze the situation ken

This is actually an Elkhorn, Platycerium bifurcatum, the Staghorn is Platycerium superbum. As mentioned they're epiphytes and normally grow on trees or rock faces. Growing them in a pot creates a few problems. They don't normally grow in soil, their roots attach to the tree or rock, the nest leaves trapping falling leaves and debris, as well as providing a 'playground' for insects and other small animals. They're used to having water drain very fast from their roots and going through fairly dry periods. Having them in a pot makes it difficult to keep them happy, but it is being done a lot these days. The fuzz on the leaves is an adaptation to coping with dryness.

My 5cents... 1. pot is too large, too deep 2. soil needs some 'lightening-up'; add generous amount of perlite if you can't get anything else (I use small grit a lot); research soils for succulents on this forum. If you see recommendation to add sand anywhere, I would say DON't, unless it is really gritty (larger particles) 3. rocks on the bottom/halfway up don't work, get rid of them. Get shallower pot AND well draining mix instead. 4. just because 'nothing is hanging' (sorry ez to contradict you), doesn't mean plant is healthy. You need to squeeze (gently) trunk and branches to see if they are too soft - but sometimes they are soft just from lack of water. I do not think that is the case with your plant - it started to rot for a reason. Water was, probably, getting poured (sometimes we don't notice) over same spot on trunk, perhaps there was a small injury that allowed water to get in - anything is possible. I would gently swish the root ball in the water, cut off roots that are mushy-slimy. Any black spots/areas in the trunk or branches you see on cut pieces are sign of rot spreading. Unless you get rid of them, it will continue to spread. Small and healthy piece is better - and will grow in proper conditions - than larger-longer sick one that will eventually die anyway. It is clear to me from the last photo that the branch is growing from the trunk/stump, so you can leave it. Not 100% sure, but 4th photo from the bottom seems to show some darker areas - double check on that. If yes, cut further. When you pot it up, don't bury trunk too deep, as long as the roots are covered, that is enough. You could put the rocks (ones you had on the bottom of the pot for 'drainage') on top of the soil around the plant to support it - how large are these rocks?

Update: Some of the succulents I planted into gritty mix have been shriveling, which I thought was thirst, but watering didn't help... so I realized they're probably rotting. The tall sticks (which I thought were "Minima" Jades but after seeing a lookaIike at Home Depot, I think are actually Portulacaria afra) are definitely rotting away from the tips and new shoots down. :( So I think I need to pull these out, wash the old soil off the roots, remove any rotten parts, and let dry. I have a few questions: 1) if the stem is rotting, what does that look like, and how much stem/leaves should I remove? 2) Can I leave any roots if they look OK, and does drying them out kill them anyway? Or is this essentially like making a cutting and letting it callous and make new roots? 3) Once they dry can I just replant them where they were in the gritty mix? On a more fun note, I went to Home Depot yesterday intending to buy zero succulents and instead spent an hour taking pictures and purchasing 7 new ones! And to my delight, all but one had an actual species ID! Clockwise from top left: Kalanchoe marnieriana Crassula rupestris Crassula "Candy Cane" (with a warning that propagation is prohibited... how would they stop you?) Sedum rubrotinctum "Pork and Beans" Crassula ovata "Ogre Ears" Sedum rubrotinctum "Aurora" ???? that was on clearance with a bunch of very sick and damaged succulents, but it looks healthy enough to me! Here's a closeup of it - anyone know what it is? The Ogre Ears had mealy bugs so I doused all of them with 50% rubbing alcohol last night. I also watered them because their soil all seemed bone dry, which I'm learning maybe I really shouldn't need to do? :/ I want to transplant them to gritty mix today (and do it right this time! Wash off all the soil and let dry). Also at Home Depot, I think I was able to better ID some of my current succulents, like the Crassula ovata "Minima" (#8) actually being a Portulacaria afra. The original mystery plant could possibly be Sedeveria "Sorrento"? Though the leaves look bigger/fatter on this one than they were on mine: OR possibly Sedeveria "Jet Beads"? These leaves aren't bigger but they do seem fatter than what I have... Not sure either of these are it: #3 Could actually be Graptosedum "Blue Giant"? A very similar-looking succulent was labeled this at HD, but I can't find photos to confirm it online. Maybe it's actually Sedeveria "Blue Giant"? #6 I thought looked like a plant labeled Sedeveria "Harry Butterfield," but looking online, it doesn't look right to me... #18 Senecio vitalis (Narrow-Leaf Chalksticks) #19 Graptopetalum pentandrum - EDIT: Actually more likely G. superbum #22 Sedum adolphii (Golden Sedum), instead of Coppertone Sedum? Looking forward to anyone's feedback about replanting and ID'ing these! Thanks!