Maybe this old header screenshot will give you a hint about what we tackled in this outdoor update—one of many small projects we chip away at so we don’t get overwhelmed, sore, or blow the budget.
That camellia tree we first mentioned back in March is the culprit. It’s a lovely plant, but it was planted mere inches from our foundation, and after consulting a few plant-savvy friends we were advised to remove it before the roots caused damage. Besides, it looked like an overgrown sideburn on the face of the house—pretty, but misplaced.
Our first plan was to transplant it. We liked the tree and wanted to save it if possible, so I dug around the root ball for about half an hour. The roots were so dense and so tightly packed against the foundation that I kept worrying I’d dislodge a brick. After another hour of digging and a closer look at how close the roots actually were, we reluctantly decided it wasn’t safe to move it. We apologized to our camellia, promised to plant another in a better spot, and cut it down.
I removed the large limbs, sawed the trunk off at ground level, and was left with a small stump that I planned to bury under level dirt. I considered digging the stump out entirely but didn’t want to disturb the soil near the foundation any more than necessary, so we covered it and called it done.
Cutting down healthy trees is never easy, and we felt sad about it. At least we’ve planted six new trees since moving in, so this felt like making room for better-placed plantings that won’t lean on the house or threaten the foundation. Our plan for the replacement plantings is to choose lower, airier species. Short, stout houses benefit from lower-height landscaping that opens the facade and makes the structure appear taller rather than weighed down.
After stepping back, I noticed another overgrown bush undoing some of the improvement—one that was taller than the house. I gave it a trim with clippers. Not perfect, but better. Eventually we’d like to transplant that thicket to open up the front yard; right now the greenery blocks much of the facade. The only unblocked area is the carport, which has its own design challenges and is a part of the house we plan to rethink later (ideally converting it into a proper garage down the line).
Now that the weather has cooled a bit we hope to pick up momentum outside. Last week Sherry did some weeding in the driveway while Clara and Burger “helped” by playing nearby. Our long double-wide paver driveway is charming, but its many cracks are a perfect home for weeds, which are a constant annoyance. We avoid chemical weed killers because we have a pet and small child who play outside.
We researched natural weed control methods, including pouring boiling water over weeds, using coarse driveway salt, and vinegar mixtures. After calling the paver manufacturer, we learned that salt and vinegar can permanently damage pavers, causing erosion or cracking. So we tried boiling water, repeatedly dumping gallons of scalding water over problem areas. Unfortunately it didn’t kill the roots—we still had persistent sprouts.
Ultimately we returned to good old-fashioned hand-pulling. It’s time-consuming and sporadic, so our driveway isn’t always perfectly tidy. When guests come, forgive the occasional greenery peeking through the pavers—we’re trying. We’re also considering polymeric sand at some point, which can reduce weed growth between pavers.
So, that’s the update: we removed a problematic camellia, trimmed some overgrown shrubs, and continue to wage an ongoing battle against driveway weeds using pet- and child-safe methods. Has anyone else removed or transplanted a tree that was too close to the foundation? If you successfully moved a dense-rooted tree, what tips worked for you? And if you’ve found paver-friendly, natural ways to keep weeds at bay, we’d love to hear them.