Pruning From Rhamnus To Weigela

Rhamnus (buckthorn): - During late spring, thin out old wood on evergreen types to keep them shapely and to ensure light and air can reach the shrub's centre. Prune deciduous species in winter.

Ribes (flowering currant): - Annually cut out all old wood to ground level in spring. Romneya (Matilija poppy/tree poppy): - These sub-shrubby perennials need little pruning, other than cutting out frost damaged shoots in mid-spring.

Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary): - Cut out dead shoots in spring and shorten the tips of long, straggly shoots. If plants become overcrowded, cut them back in midspring. Rubus (ornamental brambles): - During late spring, cut to ground level all old stems on those species grown for their coloured stems. This will encourage the development of fresh ones. For others, cut to ground level a few of the old stems as soon as the flowers have faded.

Raspberries, blackberries, Loganberries: - The old canes that produced berries last year should be cut back to the ground. The canes that grew last year, but did not bear fruit, will bear this year.

Sambucus (elder): - Thin out bushes in mid-spring to keep them neat and shapely. Where forms such as S. racemosa and S.nigra are grown for their colourful leaves, cut all the stems back to ground level each spring.

Santolina chamaecyparissus Lightly clip off old flowers with hand shears, as soon as they fade. Rejuvenate old plants by cutting them hard back in late spring. Sarcococca (sweet box): - When shrubs become crowded. Cut out a few of the old stems to ground level after the flowers have faded.

Syartium junceum (Spanish broom): - Lightly trim young plants several times during summer to encourage bushiness. When established, shorten stems to a third or half of their length in late winter or early summer.

Spiraea x arguta (bridal wreath/foam of May): - On young and semi-mature shrubs, cut back flowering shoots as soon as the flowers have faded, leaving one or two young shoots at the base of each shoot. As a shrub develops, cut out as much of the old wood as possible in late winter, leaving the previous year's growth to produce flowers during the current year.

Spiraea x bumalda and japonica: - Prune all stems to within 3-4inch (7.5-10cm) of the ground in late winter or early spring.

Spiraea thunbergii + S. vanhouttei: - Prune in the same way as for S. x arguta. Stephanandra Cut out old and spindly shoots in late winter or early summer.

Symphoricarpos (snowberry) During late winter cut out a few of the oldest stems to ground level and cut out crowded stems.

Syringa (lilac): - Each year, use secateaurs to cut off faded flowers. Later, during winter cut out weak and crossing branches. Where lilacs have been neglected, rejuvenate them by cutting the entire plant to 2-3ft. (60-90cm) above the ground during mid-spring. This will mean that the shrub will not flower again for two or three years. Remove any suckers during summer.

Tamarix (tamarisk): - Prune the spring-flowering T. tetranda immediately the flowers have faded. Cut back by half to two-thirds of previous season's growth. Prune the late summer-flowering T. pentandra in late winter or early spring, again cutting back the previous season's shoots by half to two-thirds.

Weigela: - Each year, after the flowers have faded in mid-summer, cut out to soil level a few old stems. If this is not done, the shrubs soon become a tangled web of old shoots that produce small and inferior flowers.

To read about grass height and grass types, visit the Plants And Flowers site.

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