Shrub pruning in Horne
Mature shrubs in big Horne gardens, pruned at the right moment so they flower again.
Older country gardens collect shrubs. Lilac by the gate, a philadelphus that’s taller than the shed, forsythia that’s eaten half a border. On Horne’s fertile clay they put on growth fast, and after a few years without a cut they’re all wood and very little flower. Shrub pruning in Horne, done properly, sorts them out one plant at a time, cutting each at the point in the year that suits it.
Timing is most of the skill. Prune a spring-flowering shrub in autumn and you cut off next year’s flowers. We’d rather leave something a few weeks than get it wrong. So before we touch anything, we’ll walk round with you, say what each shrub is and when it’s due. That way you know why the forsythia has to wait until it’s finished flowering.
What we do
- Pruning shrubs and bushes at the right time for the plant
- Rose pruning in late winter, deadheading through summer
- Shaping and thinning to keep growth healthy
- Renovating overgrown shrubs over a season or two
- Cutting back perennials and ornamental grasses
- All prunings cleared away
Shrub pruning when a shrub has outgrown the garden
A lot of what we’re asked to prune in Horne is overgrown rather than neglected: shrubs planted years ago that were never given a hard cut. The fix is renovation over two seasons. In year one we take out about a third of the oldest, thickest stems at the base, which lets light in and makes the plant push new shoots from low down. The next year we do another third.
It’s slower than hacking it all back, but you keep flowers each year and the shrub comes back in proportion. Some old shrubs won’t respond, and we’ll tell you if it’s time to replace one.
Pruning services through the year
Roses get their main prune in late winter, then deadheading through summer. Buddleja and dogwoods are cut hard in early spring. Lilac, philadelphus, weigela and forsythia are pruned straight after they’ve flowered. Evergreens like laurel and photinia are tidied in late spring or late summer. Perennials and grasses are cut back when they’ve stopped looking good, which is often later than people expect.
We clear away every pruning, so the border is left tidy rather than covered in clippings.
Pruning in Horne: your questions
Anything else, just ring. You’ll speak to the people who do the work.
Do you prune trees as well?
No. We’re not tree surgeons, so tree work goes to an arborist. We stick to shrubs, roses, climbers and hedge and shrub pruning around the garden.
Is shrub pruning near me possible as a one-off?
Yes. Plenty of people book a single visit to get a border back in shape, then add a couple of pruning visits a year once it’s under control.
When should I cut back my roses?
Late winter, roughly February into early March, before they start growing strongly. In summer we deadhead to keep them flowering.
My lilac only flowers at the top. Can you fix that?
Usually, over two years. Taking out some of the oldest stems at the base pushes new growth lower down, and the flowers follow.
More garden help in Horne.
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Gritting
Paths, drives and entrances gritted and cleared by hand, before anyone slips
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Topiary
Crisp shapes and formal hedging, kept sharp
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Lawn Mowing
Regular or one-off grass cutting across Surrey and Sussex
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Hedge Trimming
All hedge types, kept neat, healthy and the right shape
Pruning nearby
Pruning in Horne? Let’s talk.
Tell us what you need and roughly where. We’ll come and look, and give you a straight price.