Trees, Shrubs and Conifers: To hack or not?, 0 by White_Hydrangea

White_Hydrangea wrote:
I don't know how well you can see it from the picture I'm providing, but I have a couple large trees near the back of my property. Around them is a lot of undergrowth, and it blocks the way into a small area at the very back of my property. With some work, that area could be a little "secret garden," with plants, a bench, some paving stones, a small flowering shrub or two.

My question is, is this growth proper shrubs that I should prune and care for? Or are these suckers and undergrowth and other stuff that I don't want or need in my garden/yard? I have so few things growing in my back yard that I'm reticent to cut down anything that's healthy and growing.

But they are in the way. It's like my yard is truncated, and I can't use the rest.

(Also, before I moved in, someone apparently used that area back there as a debris/refuse dumping ground. I'm a little scared of what might jump out at me if I go poking around back there.)