It's not necessary to know exactly the Pieris root system to imagine what one might face in digging it up. Most shrubs are more or less similar in this regard. Let's note that your bed is extraordinarily pinched ... so much so that most plants would wish to escape its boundaries. The tendency most people have in trying to dig up a shrub like this is to start digging about 1' away from the plants trunk .... where the heaviest roots are located. It's difficult, challenging work. One would be better off to start about 3' out and dig inward. Having a good lopper and pruning saw to cut heavy roots, as needed, would help, too. But before digging these plants out, I'd conceive of a plan for what the bed will become. Will there be any alterations to its shape or size? What plants will be installed and exactly where? The reason I'd want to know this is in case they are not directly, exactly at the current Pieris locations. it may be possible to cut the Pieris off flush with grade, paint the stump with herbicide concentrate (no water is added) and allow the stump to remain, instead of digging it out. Then holes are dug (and/or cut) adjacent to it for the new plants. I've had excellent luck with old plants NOT re-growing by using this method. If the new plants going in are in small containers, it's much easier. I'm not giving what plant should replace the Pieris lots of thought, one of the dwarf Nandinas (check ultimate heights) come to mind. Maybe someone else has more exciting plant suggestions.

Gardenweed, I just went out and took a look at my own - and was surprised to see flowering stems forming already :) It's been in the 20's every night for a week, cold for us and second time this season. Seeds should ripen about the same time as rhododendron in your area, anywhere between Aug-Oct depending on how early it bloomed. I deadheaded, but not precisely, there are still a few very brown clusters of pods here and there. Most of those have opened or at least partially opened and contain few seed. I suppose there is a chance weather played a part in the one you were watching and time from bloom to hard frost possibly wasn't long enough for ripe seed to form. Summer drought will sometimes delay seed set too.

I have pieris in various places on my property. All planted at the same time about 7-8 years ago. The couple that I have in almost full shade are growing larger than any others, however I don't see too many flowers. I have some in full sun that do get some red growth but they are very slow growing and also don't flower much. There is a house not far from me that has 2 pieris growing in blazing sun on each side of their front door. They grow beautifully. Nice red new growth every year and profuse blooming. I just can't figure out pieris. It seems that if you happen to find just the right spot it will be magnificent but if not they may limp along to a certain extent. Have you also checked out Kalmia? I like this shrub much more than pieris. Between the buds and flowers they put on a great show. 2 pics of Pieris in heavy shade. Both always have good new growth and are over 3' high, but they never flower very much at all. This is pieris growing in full sun. Nice new red growth, but slower growing (about 1/3 the size of the 2 above) and again barely any flowering. It is the same variety as the 2 in the above photos (not sure which variety though). This is a Kalmia. Took a hard hit over the winter with a bad ice storm we had, but it will recover nicely. For evergreen and flowering I definitely prefer Kalmia over Pieris. I don't have a pic handy of the Kalmia in bud or flower. Hope that helps a little bit. I also have zone envy for Nandina!

Hi there, I live up in Bucks County and did the same thing with pieris japonica--bought it and planted it in full sun without researching. It was very unhappy. I'd move yours. Maybe you could plant double knockout roses in its place? Sounds like you could use more summer color in front. Hidcote lavender would be nice in front of/under the roses. That's a pretty classic combination, and the lavender would add a nice fragrance. Good luck. I ended up ditching my pieris because I just didn't have a suitable spot for it. I still feel guilty...LOL. Lisa