Story two: One October, some years back, I was dropping my daughter off at a friends house. They had just moved in and were doing landscaping. I asked about the big boxwood hedge. They were tearing it out. I asked if they would be willing to wait until February,and I'd dig the hedge out for free. The hedge was 11 feet long, 3 feet wide, 4 feet high, and was made up of just 5 boxwoods. That was a great haul.
Spring is a great time to redo the landscape. I work in a high-income area of homes. I'm always ready to pick up a stack of nursery pots left at the curb, or pick through a mound of bushes that have been excavated. Just keep your eyes open and the universe will deliver.