Rejuvenation PruningDeadheading

Pruning & Hedge Trimming in Richmond, VA

Pruning is as much about when as how. Cut a spring-flowering shrub at the wrong point in the year and you remove next season's flowers along with the growth. We prune to the plant's own cycle — shaping evergreens, thinning deciduous trees for light and air, and cutting flowering shrubs at the point in their year that protects the bloom.

What's included

  • Shaping and size control for hedges and evergreens
  • Rejuvenation pruning for overgrown or leggy shrubs
  • Deadheading spent blooms to encourage repeat flowering
  • Thinning cuts on deciduous trees to open up light and airflow
  • Removal of dead, damaged and crossing branches
  • Cleanup and removal of all cuttings

A note for Richmond properties

Azaleas, camellias and dogwoods are everywhere in Richmond gardens and all three set their flower buds the season before they bloom. Pruning them in late winter — the instinctive time — is exactly what removes the flowers. They get cut right after flowering instead.

Common questions

When should hedges be trimmed?

Most formal hedges take a shaping cut in late spring after the first flush of growth, and a lighter tidy-up in late summer. Cutting too late in autumn can push soft new growth that winter then damages.

Can an overgrown shrub be saved?

Often, yes. Rejuvenation pruning cuts a shrub back hard over one to three seasons to rebuild its structure. It looks drastic at first and it does not suit every species, so we look at the specific plant before recommending it.