You didn't say what exposure the front is-it will make a difference. One option that noone has mentioned yet is camellias-evergreen & flowering, but they will do better w/ a protected location. The Ackerman varieties be best in this region & I think you can see alot of them at the Natl. Arboretum? (someone please correct me if I'm wrong). I have 3 Winter's Star in my front bed, planted 2 years ago, they're kind of sprawling, but much nicer than the Japanese hollies I dug out. I also have another Winter's Star & a Snowflurry in the back, they've both made it through 2 winters, while some of the other camellias bit the dust (partly my fault, planted under pines, western exposure, w/ no protection from the wind). I have 2 weigelas, 'Wine & Roses', in the front also, they only just started to leaf out. They look like dead, twiggy lumps during the winter, I'm replacing them this year with either loropetalum or Kleims hardy gardenias.

If anyone is interested in getting a jump on spring planting (like me- I just can't help it sometimes!) I'm having a little bit of an open house tomorrow for my neighbors, because I'm clearing out some plants and garden supplies and really didn't want to just throw them away. I'd love to save it all for the spring trade- there's tons of plants I'm looking for- but I they're taking up too much room :) Here's a list of things I'm getting rid of, and if anyone would like any of it, just reply for my address and you can come over and get what you want, first come first served! I'm in the Decatur/Emory/Clarkston area. 2 lady banks climbing roses 1 red flower carpet (miniature blooms) standard tree rose 2 unknown multicolored climbing roses (I forget the varieties, mea culpa) 1 unknown climbing yellow rose (excellent repeat bloomer) 2-3 climbing roses whose name I forget but who have white blooms with hot-pink-edged petals, very pretty 1 red climbing rose called Altissimo (single blooms, very bright red) 1 miniature light-pink climbing rose 1 truly enormous climbing new dawn rose. this thing has stems inches across at the base, and until we cut it back for transplanting was probably 15 or 20 feet up in the air. it kills me to get rid of it because it literally blooms all year, but we just took down 4 big trees and I have nothing to support it on anymore. I'll need some help digging it up from whoever takes it. 1 hybrid tea rose that hasn't been blooming well for me, I forget the variety but it has small pink blooms While I'm at it... I also have 2 rigid pond liners for a pond that never really got built (these will be a job to extricate, as the area has gotten weedy, but they're pretty nice still) some pond plants that were growing in the sort-of pond any number of rose of sharon plants that my husband would LOVE if someone wanted to dig up and take. Want a rose of sharon hedge? We've got you covered. They bloom pink, white and purple and get 6-8 feet tall if not cut back. strawberry starts from runners the azaleas in my front yard (they bloom white) are all slated to get removed, so if any of you want a dozen azaleas (or even one!), we would be extremely happy if we were saved the effort of digging them out. They're in a very untidy area, though, with ivy mixed in. I believe there is also some forsythia mixed up in there that's up for grabs. And I have some flowerpots too (some are quite large), and some gardening chemicals, which I'll set out in the driveway. a large, bright-blue rain barrel (spigot not yet installed) tons of crocosmia Quite a few grow lights and light fixtures for seed starting There's probably more, but that's all I can think of at the moment.

I have 2 BB plants. Both from seeds that came up in a bed in the front yard. I think the seeds came from one I planted in 2007. It died in 2009's freeze....I think. They were both in full sun. One I potted to plant in the back yard. The other is beside the side walk. It has done well this summer. They only thing "wrong" is that the sun burns the berries on top of each branch. They are about 2 years old and very good size. The one by the side walk is about 2 1/2 feet tall and aout 3 1/2 feet wide/around. Here is a link that might be useful: transplanted BB

I'm trying to make less emotional, more rational choices these days. So I'm going to take your advice and plan to not break my back trying to dig them out. There is also a small lace-leaf Japanese maple... distance from house is fine but it's in full sun, so by end of summer it's quite crispy! Maybe I'll try to salvage that one. I feel bad about not salvaging more of the shrubs but so many are too close to the house, interfering with exterior maintenance. Even though they are mature their placement is quite annoying. I can either keep them and continue to be annoyed by this basic flaw, shear then back to tiny and formal, or do what I would likely tell anyone else to do who wants a more natural, casual garden :-D Thanks!