CLEVELAND, Ohio -- An article in the summer of 2024 featured reader Jay in Lakewood , who asked about native shrubs that can safely be planted near a house foundation because he wanted to replace a row of overgrown nonnative shrubs.

His site is typical of many older Northeast Ohio properties: dry, mostly shady, clay soil, and the garden bed runs east to west and is protected from wind. In the original article, several area experts recommended he plant a mix of Gro low fragrant sumac (Rhus aromatica ‘Gro-Low’) , Virginia sweetspire (Itea virginica) , and witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana).

Read all of Susan Brownstein’s columns here.

This fall Jay shared an update, along with photos that show what a difference one year can make. But before the progress came some hard work: O

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