What has happened to my bushes?

[Passmethecrisps]

I have lived in this house just over a year. The plants have been there for maybe 20 years. Last year both bushes pictured were absolutely fine.

I hope it is clear from my pictures but there are two large bushes (maybe 10 ft high in one instance) both of whom appear to have died on one side only.

This is one of the bushes including a shot from the bottom where it shows a v-shaped stem. Not sure what the bush is. A maple maybe?

[Passmethecrisps]

Then this one has done the same

They have been trimmed but very gently.

Why would two bushes in the same bed die partially? I could understand them dying wholly more than half.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Passmethecrisps]

Little bush bump

[Passmethecrisps]

One last wee bump then I will give up

[ReedBunting]

top one is an ornamental wildflower called Sambucus niger probably 'black lace' variety. What is on the side that has died back? Has it been particularly dry this year where you live?

[ReedBunting]

2nd I think is a Viburnum tinus but I'm not totally 100%. Are they planted close to a wall? Could their roots have been damaged by anything that has happened in the last couple of years?
Has it been particularly wet over winter where you are?
We have had 3 old shrubs die suddenly in the last few years. Two were as a result of too much winter wet and an unusually cold snap followed by dry summers, the 3rd as a result of digging too close to the roots to rebuild the retaining wall - we thought we were far enough away but the plant took offence and slowly died the next year. Oh and my mum had a large Viburnum die. thI s year - and the bark went all flaky afterwards- apparently that can be a sign of waterproofing so we assume poor drainage and recently unseasonably wet winters have taken their toll.
You could try cutting back all the dead until you can see green in the centre of the stem and see if it sends out new growth. Gently forking around the base and putting a thin mulch of well rotted compost around the base can't hurt.

[ReedBunting]

not waterproofing - waterlogging....

[ReedBunting]

Oh FFS. Elderflower. not wildflower!

[PurpleWithRed]

What reedbunting said. Chop back the dead stuff to,ground level and the bush may regenerate.

No chance of some spray damage from weed Killer? Or damage at the base from a strimmer?

[Passmethecrisps]

Thanks so much for those ideas. They are both planted into a sort of wee raised bed. On the side of us is a field where the farmer grows barley.

The parts which have died are all garden side rather than field side.

No weed killing and it has been a pretty dreich summer.

I will take a wider angle picture to give a better perspective

[Passmethecrisps]

Here you can get a sense of what is around it.