Shrub pruning in Horley

Roses and flowering shrubs in Horley gardens, pruned at the right moment for each plant.

Shrub pruning in Horley has one local twist: everything grows. Weald Clay is heavy, but it’s fertile, and once a shrub’s roots are into it, it can double in size in a few seasons. Forsythia swallows a path. Buddleja reaches the gutter. Philadelphus gets so dense it stops flowering in the middle.

We prune plant by plant, at the time each one wants, so you don’t swap a tidy shape for a year with no flowers. Prunings are bagged and taken away on the day, and the beds are left swept. Most gardens only need a visit or two a year for it.

Shrub pruning in Horley: when to prune what

Spring flowerers like forsythia, weigela and philadelphus get cut straight after flowering, because next year’s buds form on this summer’s growth. Later shrubs that flower on new wood, buddleja for one, get cut hard in early spring. Roses get their main prune in late winter, usually February. On clay a hard prune is rarely a risk. The roots have plenty to draw on and most shrubs come back strongly, which is why we’re happy to renovate a big old shrub over two or three years.

Shrubs, not trees: where we draw the line

We’re not tree surgeons, and we don’t climb or fell. That matters more in some parts of town than others. In the Church Road and Massetts Road conservation areas, trees are protected, and anyone planning to cut one back has to give the council six weeks’ notice first. Our pruning services stick to shrubs, roses, climbers and hedge and shrub pruning at border level. If a tree needs work, we’ll say so and point you to a qualified arborist.

Pruning in Horley: your questions

Anything else, just ring. You’ll speak to the people who do the work.

My shrubs are huge. Can they be cut right back?

Most can, over a couple of seasons. Taking a third of the oldest stems out each year keeps the plant flowering while it shrinks. A few, like lavender, won’t regrow from old wood, and we’ll tell you which ones.

Do you prune roses in Horley?

Yes. The main prune is in late winter, then deadheading through summer to keep flowers coming. Climbers get tied in and tidied in autumn.

How often do shrubs need pruning?

Most want attention once a year, at their own right time. On a regular maintenance visit we work through them as each one comes due, so you don’t have to keep a calendar of what flowers when.

What does one-off shrub pruning cost?

It depends how many shrubs there are and how overgrown they’ve got. We’ll give you a fixed price after a look, with taking the prunings away included.