Just as our summer shrubs start into growth, some of our favorite spring-flowering varieties are coming into bloom – and they all need the attention of our secateurs if we want to get the best out of them. If you haven’t cut back your bush roses, buddleia, and colored-stemmed willow and cornus yet, then your absolute last chance is now in the end of April. Prune all the stems down hard to leave five buds or new shoots above the base of the plant. Don’t worry about removing lots of soft new growth – be assured that the plants will survive, although flowering may be set back by a week or two in the summer. The most important job is to remove the oldest wood from your spring-flowering shrubs as soon as the blooms begin to fade and before too much new growth gets in the way. So get your secateurs out and prepare for a new season of pruning! The focus this month is on getting the maximum number of blooms and limiting the size of your shrubs.