Landscaping questions:
1. Common Lilac - there is an ages-old Lilac treeshrub placed poorly right next to the breezeway between the house and Garage. I don't mind the tree, but it is big. Like 20' high or more, with about eight 4" caliper trunks. This tree poses both a challenge and an opportunity. The challenge is that our plumber cannot get into the backyard tio trench in a new sewer line since this treeshrub and a rose (see next item) block the path. The Opportunity is that I want to put in a hedge along the property fenceline for privacy.
2. Explorer rose - there is an explorer roas treeshrub next to teh lilac, having similar dimensions. Trunks on it are about 3" caliper, with a number of smaller canes coming off the rootstock. It would not surprise me if most of the shrub is reverted to wild rose rootstock. I would like to transplant this as a single plant, but haven't really thought out where it should go. I might want to divide it and make 4 plants of the one.
Questions:
Lilac - At this time of year the lilac is mostly dormant. If the plumber was to use a backhoe to dig it up and replant, how likely would it be to survive? If I were to cut up the rootstock with a chainsaw/axe, how successful do you think I would be at getting multiple plants out of this one tree? Next spring, I think I'll try starting slips to establish a hedgerow; has anyone done the thing where you cut spears of tender growth and poke 'em in the ground to start a hedge? any success? Option B is to cut it down to the ground, drive the equipment over it, and then cut slips next spring to move around the yard. Lilacs sucker so readily, I am not concerned either way.
Rose - Similar to the Lilac - a rose this old (I've never dealt with one this far gone) is almost a tree. Will it survive being moved? Should I be concerned with digging/moving it? How successful would division by chainsaw be? Maybe I just take the nothing to lose sort of approach and dig it with impunity.
Other:
I am aware that my posts in this thread are generally VERY short, and can come across either rude or flippant. I apologize, but I am posting using a blackberry that is a beast to type on. Sorry if anyone feels like I'm ignoring them on this thread. I'm not. I just can't put decent replies together while I'm up there.