Dilemma for you

[andy]

Please see the photo.  I have 2 Euonymous alata.....very mature, quite old.   The one on the right of the photo is dying.....i cut about 1/2 out last year....another 1/4 will need cutting out this year.

The one on the left is healthy and looking in fab autumn colour.

The problem is, the area is very symmetrical.

What would you do if it was your garden?

[maglonian]

Not knowing anything of the growing habits of the shrubs in question, and just a thought not knowing if it's feasible or not, but if wanting to keep the symmetry ... is it possible to trim each hedge to say 'cubes' ... or won't the edges green up again ?

Seems a shame to get rid of something looking so great but I guess if you want to keep symmetry sometimes you've got to be ruthless. Head not heart

[Rosefriend]

Ooo that's a bit of a bugga andy, - especially as they are very mature..

I only once grew two things to stand out - standard roses - they looked great for the first two years, then one started to look really ragged, pruned it etc etc - the end result was for me to dig them both out!!

As maglonian, suggested - is there a way of pruning them so that they are both the same size from next year at least? Better than having to lose them..

[andy]

I think that's going to be the answer.....prune the larger one so they both match up.
I think the dying one will eventually die completely so I'll end up replacing them both in the next few years

[Ron]

andy , as they are the same species and should perform similarly, I wonder if it is something to do with the ground. Does one drain better than the other, is there a difference in the soil or with nutrients?  It's surprising how different patches of ground close to each other can be. Euonymus do need good drainage. They are quite disease free normally but check for powdery mildew.

Or it could just be age. There is some info here www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/burning-bush/pruning-burning-bush.htm

[andy]

Thanks Ron. Both plants are old, probably 30+ years and have both been fine until last summer. Going to see how they do next summer then make a decision.