Sounds like the house we bought too! She was 90 yrs old and had severe phobias of thieves, apparently.
Hubby dug those holly roots out. Wow a ton of work, but so worth it. Barberry came out easily.
Holly berries are beautiful, so we left 2, but I let my DH prune them down nearly to nubs every year.

So many nicer things can be planted--nandinas have berries too.

Anonymous wrote:I would get rid of the barberries. The only reason I can think of to have barberries flanking the front walk is to discourage visitors. Plus barberries are invasive.

If you prune the barberries down to the ground, and then keep pruning them every time something sprouts, that will kill the barberries in a year or two.

Yes, pull out the barberries. They provide a great habitat for ticks and are invasive - http://lymedisease.org/news/lyme_disease_views/uconn-barberry-tick.html

Or bamboo.

Maybe there used to be annoying neighborhood kids always running through. I've often daydreamed of planting a hedge of prickly stuff around the edges of my yard to keep the neighborhood brats out.

Anonymous wrote:I opened this thread thinking it was going to be about mint.

Or wisteria.

I opened this thread thinking it was going to be about mint.

Ha...OP, I feel like you have my yard (or at least part of it!). We have 2 American holly bushes, 2 Chinese holly bushes, and 2 Junipers (I think?). Hate them. But they are the most "mature" landscaping on our property and we would pay through the nose to replace them with anything similar in size. Also, they do line a part of our yard that gets a lot of foot traffic and I've realized they offer some privacy and, to a degree, security. This spring we hacked the HELL out of them--long, thick sleeves and heavy gloves--and I'm hoping that as they grow we can shape them a little more attractively.

Sounds like a deer problem to me. Deer will eat anything but spiky plants…heck, even those in a bad winter.

Why azaleas?

I fucking hate holly. We had two bushes on either side of the front door. Rip me out and put in are azaleas.

I would get rid of the barberries. The only reason I can think of to have barberries flanking the front walk is to discourage visitors. Plus barberries are invasive.

If you prune the barberries down to the ground, and then keep pruning them every time something sprouts, that will kill the barberries in a year or two.

Hey, OP, at least it's not poison ivy! BTDT!