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Pruning advice

Andy CarrollAndy Carroll Posts: 8
in Problem solving
Hi, I have the hedging around my garden and it's a wonderful  bee attracter when it flowers only problem is it has spread onto my lawn and the public path. I want to prune it hard but I am worried it will expose the stems and not look good or grow back? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I dont want to remove it completely it's been there the whole time we've owned the house (14 years).
Thanks, Andy.

Posts

  • Andy CarrollAndy Carroll Posts: 8
    This is the shrub. Not sure what it is but a plant identifier came back as American boxwood?
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    It's a Hebe. They sometimes respond well to hard pruning, but not always, so it's up to you whether you want to try it. Shame to prune it just when it's coming into flower though.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • Andy CarrollAndy Carroll Posts: 8
    I won't do it until after it has flowered, when would you suggest, autumn, winter or early next spring?
    We love the fact it attracts so many bees when in flower.
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    I don't grow them myself. They're in what the RHS calls pruning group 9 - their advice is here https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=168
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • Andy CarrollAndy Carroll Posts: 8
    Thank you, I'll wait until next spring now. As you said it would be a shame so we'll leave it to flower this year. Appreciate the advice 🙂
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