Chopping back

Please could anyone offer advice on when to start pruning? My new garden had 7 years' worth of growth when I moved in; grass, weeds were strimmed back to the ground and gradually being further dealt with. However I left shrubby things to their own devices as sort of thought summer wasn't the right time to attack them. I'm now itching to take everything back to a new bud quite low down...but not sure if I should let myself loose just yet. I know not to prune hydrangea till next spring but everything else is a general mystery. I'd really appreciate experienced, knowledgeable thoughts on this....thank you.

 

As a general rule it is best to prune when the shrubs are dormant (when they've lost their leaves for winter) but some plants are best pruned just after they've finished flowering. See how you go and if there are any you're not sure about then feel free to ask.

 

Do you know what the shrubs are yet? If not post a picture up and we shall try and id them for you. Some might be evergreens and if so can usually be cut back any time.

 

Generally better to wait until things are dormant so try to resist temptation until January/February. Some shrubs, eg pyracanthus, cotoneaster, holly, are tough enough to be pruned at any time but you may miss a season's flowers/berries if you cut hard back now.

 

Thank you for the advice - secateurs back to hanging on a nail, hopefully out of sight, out of mind, for a while longer.

 

Ive wondered about this too ... my large garden is bordered on two sides by all manner of huge/overgrown trees and bushes!