Just Mostly Dead

As spring has sputtered along in fits and starts, I watched my two wing shrubs come to life. The center shrub looked deader than a door nail. So I was resigned to replacing it yet again. With nighttime freezing weather still with us, I've held off on the digging up and replacing thing.

But last weekend, I noticed a couple green parts amidst the brown pallor of plant death. As Miracle Max from The Princess Bride said, mostly dead is not the same as completely dead. My center shrub still clings to life. I trimmed away the dead branches and underneath there is life still:

So what do I do? Dig it up and put in a new bright green shrub with leaves everywhere? Do I betray the plant that strives to perpetuate its life by digging it up and tossing it in the trash?

I think not. It is not dead. Dead is dead and there would be nothing to do about it but toss it and start over. But mostly dead? No. Something can be done. I can respect the life that still grows and let it have a chance to thrive.

This plant has survived the winter and I will not extinguish it as it sets down roots and still grows.