First is too far away to tell, second is evergreen azalea.

the 1st one is spirea until you get a closer picture. 2nd is evergreen (japanese) azalea.

No chance that the first one is Spirea.

If those are flowers on the first one, I s be very very surprised if its a spirea. Please send a closer pix so we can see the flowers and leaf shape and branching pattern.

In any case it has been pruned to within an inch of its life. Who knows what it was? right now it is a bun with no personality. I hope you do not aspire to learning to prune like that. Poor plant. It has certainly been completely neutralized!

Need closeup on first one. Speculating could be Ilex crenata, but that's wild speculation. Would also help to know where you live.

agree on above.. and i wonder ... how much shearing is required to maintain those shapes ...

personally i prefer shrubs i dont have to shear ...

and note.. if those are web pix .... where the pix were taken.. may not be the same micro climate as your garden .... argo.. its an interesting concept.. but there may be things better suited to your area ...

btw.. the birch is really cool ... and too close to the building ....

ken

Can't be the Ilex with those flowers...are they four or five petalled?

...or ARE they even flowers? Or could it be just really light-colored or variegated new growth?

The first one almost looks like a sheared poinsettia from so far away. need a closer picture.

Thx for all of the responses! I THOUGHT the first one had flowers which is the main reason it caught my eye. It could very well be new growth and the way the sun was shining on it. The shrub is at a neighbor's house so I will take a close up when I get a chance. Also I live in Alabama if that helps.

If you are going back for a second look how about just ringing the bell and asking the neighbour what they are? Gardeners like talking to other gardeners.

My first thought for the top shrub was something showing new growth but with talk of flowers doubt crept in. Not a Pointsettia in a million years.

Spirea don't produce anything in a cross shape.

Looks like the kind of planting and pruning one might see outside of apartments, condos or at a mall. In the Seattle area about half of residential properties are occupied by renters who probably don't know anything about most or all of the plantings, so going to the door here often fails to yield plant names. And there is always something else people are doing at the time that you are interrupting.

So I usually limit approaching occupants of places with plants of interest to when these people are seen out working in the yard, or otherwise suitably disposed.

Where in Alabama? Could make a difference. Alabama is comprised of at least 3 Hardiness zones...7 to 9!

My W.A.G.....

...wait for it.....

....wait for it......

Osmanthus heterophyllus 'Goshiki' (variegated false holly) which has been over-pruned and this is the latest new growth.

But again, PLEASE, we're all craving for a closeup!

Of course the 2nd pic is Azalea as was mentioned above, perhaps 'George Tabor', which is quite common in the South, or possibly an Encore like 'Autumn Twist'.

Well, I'd still ring the bell, Embo. Even to ask permission to photograph the garden. I wouldn't like someone photographing my house without asking. If they're out, busy or clueless nothing lost. I once knocked on the door of my Grandmother's former home to request permission to take a picture and ended up with a full tour and tea.

I live in Birmingham

So, you are right around a 7B / 8A USDA hardiness zone.

First one maybe a sheared Kousa Dogwood?

miketann, how could someone be so cruel to shear kousa dogwood? I highly doubt that would be it, japanese azalea doesn't bloom at the same time as kousa.

Encores and Bloomathons are starting up now. I'm guessing this is a recent picture.