Shrub pruning in Smallfield

Roses, flowering shrubs and climbers in Smallfield gardens, cut at the moment each one wants.

Shrub pruning in Smallfield tends to start with something that’s got too big. A ceanothus swallowing the porch. A forsythia leaning over the drive. Weald clay is heavy but rich, and once a shrub’s roots are into it, it can double in size in a few years. Plenty of gardens here were planted when the house went up in the 1970s or 80s and have been quietly getting out of hand ever since.

We prune plant by plant, with secateurs and loppers, at the time each shrub wants it. That way you get the shape back without losing a year of flowers. Prunings are bagged and taken away the same day, and the beds are left swept.

Shrub pruning in Smallfield: when to cut what

Shrubs that flower in spring and early summer, like forsythia, weigela and philadelphus, get pruned straight after flowering, because next year’s buds form on this summer’s growth. Later ones that flower on new wood, buddleja for instance, are cut hard in early spring. Roses get their main prune around February. On fertile clay a hard renovation is rarely a gamble, since the roots have plenty to draw on. We’d still spread a big one over two or three years, taking out a third of the oldest stems each time.

Where shrubs stop and trees start

We’re not tree surgeons. We don’t climb, fell or reduce crowns. That matters in a parish the 1911 county history described as formerly thickly wooded with oak, where big trees still stand along gardens and lanes. Our pruning services cover shrubs, roses, climbers, and hedge and shrub pruning at border height. If an oak or anything taller needs work, we’ll say so and point you to a qualified arborist. Near Burstow church, tree work also needs notice to the council, because it’s a conservation area.

Pruning in Smallfield: your questions

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

Can you cut a really overgrown shrub right back?

Usually, over two or three seasons. Most shrubs take it well, but a few, like lavender, won’t regrow from old wood. We’ll tell you which is which before we start.

When do you prune roses?

The main prune is late winter, usually February. We deadhead through summer to keep the flowers coming, and tie in and tidy climbers in autumn.

Are shrub pruning services worth it in a small garden?

Often, yes. In a small garden one overgrown shrub can steal a third of the light. A single visit at the right time can open the whole space up again, and we’ll price it after a look.