Severe Shrub Pruning

This spring, my husband pruned the spirea in our front bed drastically. This is what it looked like when he was finished:

See those tiny, short branches sticking up? That is what our spirea looked like immediately after pruning.

Rejuvenation pruning (the official name for this practice) can help large, unruly shrubs get back in shape. Shrubs that have grown together, or have simply outgrown their space, may benefit from drastic pruning.

Not all shrubs respond well to this type of pruning, be sure to research your specific situation before taking the plunge and pruning your shrubs to almost nothing.