I'm thinking of applying the "no mercy" rule this Spring.  There is a Pagoda Dogwood leaning badly that we planted before we moved our fence and now it just looks sad.  It was a $5 "orphan" and we couldn't resist it as we had purchased a full price Pagoda Dogwood a couple of years previous to put in the back yard and it has filled its corner beautifully.  When we first saw our sad orphan it looked like a dead twig.  I thought the neighbors would collectively perform an intervention suspecting that we had lost our minds to plant such a hideous thing on purpose.  But, sure enough, like all other "orphans" we have brought home, it did well.  So well, in fact, we quickly realized we hadn't taken enough care to plant it in a space that was appropriate to its ever increasing size.  Now that we have moved a fence (longer story later about a land/fence dispute), the space seems so much smaller and I am bracing myself for what I think may be the right thing to do, take it down.

In cases like this I wish I had more friends who liked to garden.  I would be able to dig this little beauty up and carefully transport it to another yard where a friend would care for it and let me have weekend visitations.  But most people I associate with don't seem to enjoy getting their hands dirty (although I really can't imagine why, it's free exercise, keeps you out of the refrigerator, and teaches children that the outdoors isn't something that you just walk through on your way inside).  I can hear the suggestion already, "why don't you join a garden club?", well, yes, that would be one option, and one I should probably seriously consider, but I spend so much of my time with people I don't know very well, work, church, kids' school, I just don't feel like making small talk with one more group of people (FYI a gardening blog is not small talk, this is serious business we are talking here).

If I had more than a small city lot I would be better prepared to handle the size of trees and shrubs as they grow into, and out of, their designated spaces.  It is so tempting when starting a garden to plant trees, shrubs, and perennials close together to give that instant satisfying effect.  BUT DON'T DO IT!  You will regret it later.  Always give your plants plenty of room and just know that though it looks empty now, it won't in a couple of years.  You can always fill in between the shrubs and trees with annuals to give that "full" look if you need.