Currants and Honey Berries

For the past few years I have really wanted to get rid of the ugly bushes on the east side of our house. They were el-cheapo box woods and some other kind I can't remember the name of - you know, the cheap kind you can get at Wal-Mart. The boxwoods started to die, so last summer I helped them out with some Round Up. I also sprayed and cut back the other bushes, but that only seemed to make them grow back even stronger, like some sort of mutant-zombie bush. Seriously, how in the world did they survive my 2-part hack/Round Up attack?

Anywho, I never did get around to removing them last summer, partly because I couldn't decide what to put there instead and partly because I knew that it would be a job-and-a-half, what with all the rocks and the monster bushes.

But today was the day.  We finally got those dang bushes out! Turns out that one of Spencer's Scout merit badges included being in charge of and working on a big family project that benefited the whole family. This was the perfect thing!

Here's the before shots.

I know it doesn't look that bad now, but those bushes get outta control by mid-summer. And I just don't like them. Blech.

The empty spaces inbetween were where the already-killed boxwoods were. Their stumps were still there, but proved to be pretty easy to remove.

Those other bushes though? A nightmare to remove! So many roots, so much clay soil, so many rocks in the way. Three hours later, and our new plants were in - red currants and honey berries! Hooray! They'll look good and provide yummy fruit in a couple of years. I'm so much happier with them!

Not the greatest picture, but trust me, it's better. Spencer did pretty well with this project. I'm not say he was exactly fun the entire time, but he did help and do some of the work. (For an 11 year old, not bad.)

Fingers crossed we have a decent summer and these little bushes can really settle in and survive the winter. Because I don't know that I could ever get Lance and Spencer to help me move bushes on this side of the house again!