UPDATE: This is the largest shrub close to the stairs. We went out and bought electric shears and I had a go at the ilex shrubs. I had never used them before or trimmed a shrub for that matter so I practiced first on the ones kind if in the back. There were two encroaching in the sidewalk. One next to the drive and one next to the front steps. The one by the steps was the largest. I tried my best to get them to be the pyramid shape but mostly they are vertical at best (one is a little bigger at the top, IMO)I am sure I will have to go back once my hands regain their feeling and trim and take a little more to get that shape. The one near the steps goes over the side walk at its corner, but not one the front or side. Also, the hubs and I came to a temporary compromise. I am going to try to transplant one if the smaller ones in between the two corner beasts into the bare spot left by the dead plant. It might succumb to whatever the first one died if, assuming it survives the transplant. One if the remaining two is sickly, so I will get rid if him and maybe try to find another suitable site for the lady one. In between the two corner ilex, I am thinking if planting something more appropriate, maybe a small azalea. I have a post on the azalea board looking for recommends. Any thoughts are appreciated. Also, any advice in transplanting one if the smaller ilex? I stay at home with kids so I can water it religiously if that us what's needed. I can also wait until fall if that us my only option. I do have two chances because if the first transplant doesn't make it, I can try again with the other healthy looking one.

Nicole - what seil said, and also I would weed out ALL of the grass and anything else that is growing within 18 inches of the base of the rose, and spread compost or mulch around that area, making sure not to let it touch the base of the rose. For future reference, what I am guessing happened is that the newly transplanted rose was unable (because its roots were damaged) to keep all of its top growth alive, so it didn't. If I was transplanting a rose that size, I would have cut it way down to maybe 3-4 canes, about 12-18 inches high. Now it should do fine - it has finally been able to grow some new roots, as you can tell by the new growth. Would love to see some pictures after it starts to bloom. Jackie

MeMo - Yes I am, and I'm very happy with their work. They ended up taking out five trailer loads of branches and debris and cleaned up the entire area before they left. Even taking a leaf blower and clearing the road of leaves and bits. Now my Toro Zero Turn mower can go right along there instead of me having to use the walk behind mower and wrestle with branches sticking me in the head and leaving bruises on my arms. That green wire fence you see along the bottom was placed there in the very early years of growth to keep my dogs out of the road. Can't believe it's still intact. Debating whether or not to take the wire cutters and remove it, wouldn't be a hard job just take awhile. I think it will green up fairly quickly. Now I wish I would have had them do the length in front of the courtyard garden but it would have meant more money. But after I saw how they did the cutting on the big one, I'm feeling confident I can prune back the smaller one.

It depends on what you mean by "mushy," be it just wilted leaves, or, as I am envisioning, the kind of mush that turns to sticky foul-smelling goo like a rotten potato when you poke it with your finger. If it's the kind of mush that easily gives way when you poke it, I would wipe/wash away as much of the mush as possible to the remnants of firm stem (if there is any there) so that the living portion can dry. There may be a very definite boundary between the dead/rotting portion and the living portion. It could be that it's rotting from the bottom up (they cannot live in standing water) and the only way to save it is to re-root the stems like a cutting. Since the stems are partially succulent, the stems can live quite a while after the roots have died and that may be what is happening. If that's the case, let the stems dry for a day before you root them in soil. If the top part is rotting but the roots and lower parts are still healthy, you can cut the top half off and the bottom half will regenerate new leaves and flowers. Tropical geraniums are pretty tough, partly because of their ability to re-generate from any stem (which you know if you've ever tried to propagate/root them from cutting). So yes, you can cut them way back and they live as long as the part you are trying to re-grow is made of healthy, firm tissue and includes growth nodes.