Although each plant has specific needs and perfect times to prune, knowing the basics will get you by while you learn about your garden and what's in it.

Here are some handy tips to get you started.

When to prune shrubs

Most shrubs can be pruned from early spring before they begin to regrow their leaves and gointo bloom. Pruning promotes growth, so before they start to reawaken, spring makes for the best time to get out the secateursand saws.

How to prune shrubs




The best way to start pruning is to get rid of any dead/damaged shoots or stems. You can usually tell if a stem has died because it won’t have any shoots along it, and it could have a dead-foliage-brown colour. If you scratch this stem with your fingernail, and there’s no green underneath, that’s confirmation that the stem is dead and needs chopping away.

Cut these damaged, old, and dead stems away at the base. Hopefully, this will promote more shoots come spring and summer.

The next step is to cut the shrub down by at least half its height. Do this with every stem, unless it’s dead or damaged. To trim, take your secateurs and follow the stem down to a mid-way bud. A bud is a section of the stem that should have (at least) a couple of leaves. Trim just above this bud.

Chopping the stem midway between the buds means that the stem won’t be able to grow and will most likely die.

Which shrubs should I buy?


Image: Star Jasmine

If you’re after shrubs that will flower all year long or just in spring, then our wide range has exactly what you need. For evergreen shrubs, we recommend planting varieties like Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum), Daphne Odora, or even Azalea Pink Spider (if you’re after something more compact!). You can shop our full range of evergreen shrubs here.

Spring flowering shrubs are perfect for early colour and sometimes even fragrance! A few of our favourites include fragrant honeysuckle, spring flowering clematis, and magnolias like magnolia stellata. You can explore our range of spring flowering shrubs here too.


Want to learn more about shrubs? Read our latest blog, Top 10 Wildlife shrubs. Perfect for attracting pollinators and wildlife to the garden!