Casualties

The first 2 big casualties of the year:

 

'What a Peach' rose: dry and brittle

 

This rose was supposed to be the anchor down on the corner of the back flowerbed.

It put out 1 bright green shoot earlier in the spring that caught my leg every time I walked by.

So I snipped it off.

As it turns out, that was the only live part of the bush. Oops.

It's outta there!

Disappointing show, though, I must say. I just put it in last fall!

I won't be trying that variety again.

Now I have to figure out what to put in its place.

I'm still leaning toward a rose bush, because my mind likes the symmetry of one on each end.

The one I got for the other end is extra vigorous and taking over more than its allotted space.

This one has a few neighbors close by, so I need something a bit more restrained, but ALIVE, if you please. I'm even considering possibly a clematis or climbing rose...

Lavender bush: seen better days

 

This big old lavender bush is also getting the boot.

It has not sent out any new shoots this year.

 

I guess maybe that will force me to clean up this area between the steps and the house, since there won't be a bushy wall shielding the view.

 

I probably won't put anything else here, for now.

These steps need to be replaced and the chance of a new shrub taking a beating in that scenario is pretty high. Best limit my casualties as much as I can from the beginning.