Avoid A Hedge Pruning Disaster

Please DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!

Unbeknownst to the well meaning gardener who butchered the juniper in the picture above, this plant will never grow fresh 'leaves' from the old exposed wood you see here. It will remain a barren scab of a has-been border plant forever.

People plant these evergreen shrubs for many reasons, but don't usually take into account how big or unwieldy they will get in 10-20 years. So out come the pruners and the nightmare begins.
The only solution is to remove the whole plant and take it as a good lesson about 'right plant, right place.'

Remember this: Evergreen shrubs will not re-grow from old wood - if you prune them, only prune a few inches down on new wood. If you prune them too hard, and expose the old wood (as in pictures above), go get yourself a backhoe or back brace, get ready for a workout, and look forward to a trip to the nursery for a replacement plant.