Hill and McBride adore roses — each count about 25 bushes in their yards. But Hill emphasizes they are not fanatics. "If they need to be shovel pruned [gardening lingo for given the heave-ho], I'll do it," she said. "I'm not going to be upset about losing a $12 rose bush when it's past its prime."

Now, when the earth is soft and the weather is cool, is a good time of the year to consider rejuvenating and enlightening that precious garden space. Shovel-prune those misfits and replant with trees or shrubbery that are more in scale with the size of the garden and house, creating a more pleasant and productive homescape.