Repairing Boxwood Damage from Children's Play and Improper Pruning

Boxwoods used as a landing pad for kids climbing down drainpipes, then later trimmed haphazardly with shears by those same kids, ended up with large dead sections and holes in the foliage. The lower limbs, shaded by upper growth, are slow to resprout after severe pruning. Recovery is uncertain and may take years.

Instead of waiting, plant small evergreens in front of the damaged boxwoods to conceal the gaps. To involve the kids in the fix, turn it into a game: jab a shovel into the soil, drop in a coin, and let them "treasure hunt" while helping plant the new shrubs. Boxwoods respond better to gradual, light shaping than to hard cuts into old wood.