Jo Ann wrote in news:1176818730.546947.93310
@y5g2000hsa.googlegroups.com:

Thank you both for the advice! Unfortunately, it has already broken
dormancy. Also, it's a very well established shrub in a boxwood
hedge, and I'm not sure if I could dig it up without damaging the
adjacent ones. For now, I'll be trying the trimming and see if I can
encourage it to fill in. Turning it around will be my ace in the hole
before I resort to replacing it down the road.

Thanks again!
Jo Ann



You might want to embed a steel spike fence in the bushes so the next time
this happens you can follow the trail of blood to the offender and get them
to pay for the damage.