The yard is pretty wild. I am wondering about a few issues in the front yard.

First, there's this huge, huge overgrown shrub. I think I may have missed the boat on pruning it, but wanted to get your opinions on it. It's a little hard to see, but I'm going to post a few pics.

What would you do? Hack it down? Take out the big parts? Some of the shoots are tree sized!

I can't really identify it. It bloomed for a short period in these pretty white blooms that were almost tubular. It is not a common bush.

The other issue is the weeds on the slope. We want to replace with a ground cover (we think we get sun on this north-facing slope from about 11:30 until ??:00- still observing that . . . ). But anyway, I don't know of any ground cover that could overtake these weeds. Please tell me we don't have to nuke them . . . we are less than half a mile from the Mississippi now and I so hate to do it . . . but not sure what else to do.

Help?




Untitled by fidgiegirl, on Flickr
Here you can see the weeds as well as the shrub, located to the left of the pine, obscuring the neighbor's house. We'd like to get the pine out but not willing to part with the $$ to have it done.


Untitled by fidgiegirl, on Flickr
The shrub, closer up. It is so dang tall!


Untitled by fidgiegirl, on Flickr
The shrub from the other side. Maybe someone knows what kind it is?