Volcano Mulching, Again

I have said it before and will again and again, one of the most common bad landscaping practices is volcano mulching. Whether or not you like the look is an opinion. That it is a bad (for the plant) gardening method is FACT. My very first posted rant (August 2016) was on this, and I will continue to decry the practice. But, people are hard-headed and tradition bound--monkey see, monkey do. "It is a free country and I'll do what I want with my property and plant." True enough, but you are jeopardizing the health and long-term prospect of your investment by doing so. It is especially ridiculous when a landscape "professional" does it, and they commonly do.