Thanks!Most of the other shrubs in my yard are natural form, but I decided to go for a more formal look in the front. You'll notice I have some azaleas around the water fountain that are a more natural form, I just prune them after they bloom in the spring, fertilize them a few times a year and spray them with 'Liquid Fence' every month to keep the deer from eating them. The Loropetalum in the back yard are the lowest maintenance shrubs I have, but even they have to be pruned every 6 weeks or so. I think I could do a very heavy pruning on the holly and boxwood shrubs and let them come back in their natural form, but I've always seen them trimmed much like I have them. If I were starting from scratch I think I'd plant azaleas near the house and mondo grass or another low ground cover along the sidewalk. The azalea are fairly low maintenance, except the deer like to eat them. At least the deer don't eat the boxwood of holly shrubs. ;)

Thank you! I love the immediate and long term results I get from working in the yard and it keeps me in shape physically and mentally. I just bought a new Stihl leaf blower/vacuum last week in anticipation of the fall leaves. I'll be posting a review once I've spent a bit more time using it.