Garden maintenance schedule. 

Certain evergreen shrubs, deciduous trees, and some deciduous shrubs typically require minimal pruning and thrive best when left to grow naturally. They typically don't produce vigorous shoots that require constant trimming. However, it's important to remove any diseased, damaged, congested, or crossing shoots. Unwanted growth in particular directions can also be pruned away. These plants typically flower on growth from either the previous year or the current season.

Foliage - Evergreen or deciduous

Habit - Shrub or Tree

When to prune - Late winter or early spring

What to prune - Prune to reduce or maintain the size. Prune out any diseased damaged or congested branches.

These shrubs flower on growth from the previous year and produce abundant new growth each year, often from ground level or low on the plant. They flower primarily on one-year-old wood, and older wood is typically pruned back to allow space for new shoots.

Foliage - Deciduous

Flower - Winter / Spring / Early summer

Habit - Shrub

When to prune - Prune after flowering has finished between late winter to early summer.

What to prune - Remove any diseased damaged or congested shoots to the point or Origen.

Thin out congested part or the plant by removing stems from ground level.

These shrubs bloom on growth from the previous year and produce abundant new growth each year, often from ground level or low on the plant. They flower primarily on one-year-old wood, and older wood is typically pruned back to allow space for new shoots.

Foliage - Deciduous

Flower - Winter / Spring / Erly summer

Habit - Shrubs

When to Prune - Prune after flowering has finished between late winter to early summer.

What to Prune - Remove any diseased damaged or congested shoots to the point or Origen.

Thin out congested part or the plant by removing stems from ground level.

Shrubs in this group typically bloom from mid to late summer on growth from the previous year. Most Hydrangeas are a classic example of this type.

Pruning Mopheaded hydrangeas and Lacecaps.

Mophgeade Pruning in mid-spring is essential for maintaining healthy shrubs. Here are some guidelines:

Prune lightly and regularly: Avoid heavy pruning as it can lead to loss of flowers. The flowers form on new shoots growing from the previous year’s stems.

Remove one or two oldest stems at the base: This encourages the growth of new, more vibrant shoots that will produce more flowers.

Renovate overgrown or neglected shrubs: Cut off all stems at the base to rejuvenate the plant. Keep in mind that new stems may not bloom until the following year.

Pruning Hydrangea paniculata and Hydrangea arborescens

Prune in early spring before the shrubs begin active growth.

While regular pruning isn't necessary, annual pruning of last year's growth promotes larger and more abundant flowers.

Trim last year's growth down to the lowest pair of healthy buds, establishing a low framework of woody branches. Typically, this results in a pruned framework around 25cm (10in) high. For added height, trim to about 60cm (2ft) tall.

Neglected plants often benefit from more aggressive pruning to rejuvenate the low framework.

Pruning Different Hydrangea Varieties

This category encompasses Hydrangea aspera, H. aspera Villosa Group, H. quercifolia, and H. sargentiana.

Prune them in spring.

Only minimal pruning is necessary, primarily to eliminate dead or excessively long stems

Deciduous shrubs that bloom on last year's growth during winter or early spring benefit from hard pruning after flowering. One such example is Prunus triloba.

Foliage - Deciduous

Flower - Winter / Erly spring

Habit - Shrubs

When to prune

Early-flowering shrubs should be pruned after they have finished flowering, typically in late winter to early spring or early summer, depending on the specific shrub.

Since these shrubs typically flower on growth from the previous year, pruning immediately after flowering allows for maximum time for the development of new growth, ensuring the best chance for next year's flowers to bloom before the end of summer.

How to prune

Pruning methods vary depending on the type of shrub, but for all early-flowering shrubs, it's important to regularly remove damaged, diseased, or dead wood. Here's how:

- Cut out any damaged or dead shoots, trimming them back to their point of origin or to ground level.

- If there are many stems, remove some to ground level to maintain an open bush and prevent congestion.

- Lastly, remove any weak, spindly, or twiggy shoots right to the point of origin or to ground level. This encourages the plant to focus its resources on strong new shoots that will produce the best flowers.

After this initial pruning, further care depends on the specific type of shrub. For convenience, early-flowering deciduous shrubs can be divided into three groups based on timing and pruning requirements.

For late summer or autumn-flowering shrubs, which produce flowers at the ends of the current season's growth, prune in early to mid-spring when the severe weather has passed and growth buds are starting to swell

Foliage - Deciduous

Flower – Summer / Autumn

Habit - Shrubs

When to prune

Late-flowering shrubs, which typically bloom after mid-summer, produce flowers on the current season's growth. Therefore, pruning in early to mid-spring provides ample time for new growth to mature and produce flowers within the same year. Avoid pruning in winter to prevent frost damage to new shoots.

How to prune

In early to mid-spring, cut back the previous year's flowering stems to within one or two buds of the older woody framework. Additionally, remove any thin, weak, or dead growth.

Shrubs prized for their vibrant young stem colors benefit from severe pruning in late winter or early spring. Trim all growth back rigorously to a stubby low framework or to ground level. Examples of such shrubs include dogwood (Cornus), Rubus, Cotinus, Sambucus, and select Eucalyptus varieties.

Foliage - Deciduous

Flower –

Habit - Shrubs

When to prune

When it comes to pruning stems, late winter or early spring is traditionally recommended, before the leaves start appearing. However, to extend the enjoyment of colorful stems, shrubby Cornus and willows are now often pruned from late March to mid-April, just as new growth begins.

Pruning during the dormant season allows plants to utilize resources stored in their roots for vigorous regrowth, helping to maintain the balance between roots and shoots. If pruned in summer, when resources are mainly in the leaves, regrowth may be weaker as these resources are removed.

How to prune

To promote colorful stems or large foliage, here's a guide to pruning:

1 Establishment Phase: Allow young plants to grow for a year or two before hard-pruning.

2 Initial Pruning (Second or Third Spring):

• For pollards, cut back to 60-90cm (2-3ft) from the ground. For coppiced (stooled) specimens, trim to 5-7.5cm (2-3in).

• Pinch or thin out sideshoots to encourage branching.

3 Subsequent Years:

• Annually or every few years, cut back to previous stubs.

• For white-stemmed brambles like Rubus cockburnianus, cut to ground level.

• Some vigorous plants, such as Salix, require annual pruning, while less vigorous ones like Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’ can be pruned every couple of years if desired.