All those plants along the back look to me as if they aren't getting enough sunlight - except that one privet that has yellow leaves on the side opposite the house. The weigela and privet are dig-able IMO. Get some twine and tie up all the stems into a tight bundle, get a flat-edged spade, sharpen the blade and dig about a 3 foot diameter root ball on the weigela and a 2 foot one on the privet. To lessen the shock, do the digging after the plants drop their leaves. Then next spring after the weigela has bloomed, trim as recommended above. The privet can be cut back to the ground - and I do mean the ground - and it will regrow nicely. We did this to a line of privet out at Cox Arboretum - I see you're in the Dayton area - early last spring and they look great now. Or it can be trimmed as you so desire to maintain a shape or structure you like. The magnolia in front will get a lot bigger and is too close to the house. But that one would be a tough one to dig as the root ball should be rather large. Selective pruning on the backside might help for a while, but not in the long run. That one might be worth having a pro landscaper come in and move for you. As for the utility connections, it looks like you're in a recently developed plat that probably has underground cabling. Usually these come in the house from the street area, but not always. There should be some indications on the exterior of the house such as junction boxes, meters, etc that might give you a clue. Another concern would be the cabling and tubing of the AC unit. You need to know where they run before digging in that area. It may be obvious up close and personal, but not from my angle. Cable TV service lines are notorious for being where you think they wouldn't be and they generally aren't very deeply buried - so the advice above about call before you dig is a good start - then remember where they all are - might even do a property sketch for safe keeping. Good Luck Marshall in Centerville

Hey Purple, There's a lot of succulents one can grow w/out any spikes (which I do not allow in my house at all). Gasterias, Haworthias, Aloes, Sansevierias (how could I almost forget them?) various types of Crassulas, lots to choose from. Yet some Euphorbia miliis (Crown of Thorns) have spikes (thorns really & oddly enough they've wormed their way into my collection). I've got 4 or 5 of these in total now, just left a large one out in my bldg's laundry (before the Hurricane), & didn't think anyone would mess w/ it 'cause of its thorns (like those of a rose). It was getting too big for my place anyway, & someone swiped it pretty fast. I had pruned it into very nice shape. It was a stingy bloomer of yellow flowers (bracts really), wasn't even blooming & someone swiped it!!

Dearborn Market, Rt. 35 in Holmdel also has houseplants in the winter. In mid-February they'll clean everything out for the annual Orchid Show, but the plants and all related items will be back as soon as that's over. Interesting pots ... I'm trying to remember where I just saw an impressive selection. Again, the aforementioned nurseries should have them, but don't forget craft stores and places like Home Goods, Tuesday Morning, etc. Some of my best finds have been things I just stumbled upon while looking for something else.

All the leafy photos except the one with blue berries show Oriental bittersweet, Celastrus orbiculatus. You can tell because the berries are at the leaf bases, but American bittersweet, Celastrus scandens, has the berries at the branch ends. This is a really invasive plant, both from dropped berries and from the birds eating the fruit and then pooping out the seeds all over: in your yard, the neighbors' yards, and miles away, including in wild areas. It is one of the plants I fight on my property, so I'd recommend figuring out which stems are bittersweet, cutting the stems to near ground level, and then painting the stumps with herbicide. Then remove the vines or at least the berries as much as possible. You may need to repeat this next year (s) as well. Also learn to ID the seedlings since you will be dealing with them for years. I use pliers for pulling little ones since it's easier on my hands. There is one old farm near me where these vines are literally killing trees, both from wrapping the vines around the trunks and branches and pulling them down from the sheer weight of the vines. It's not usually that quite as bad as that IME, but they are miserable plants once they get out of control.