Pruning Viburnum Tinus

harmony

I have been pondering whether to prune back this Viburnum because it is quite bare inside the shrub although you cannot tell unless you peer inside  (which I am doing a lot of lately). I dont mind it as it is and it looks very healthy but just can't make my mind up what to do. Space is not a problem as long as it doesn't get much bigger but I would love it to have a more open natural shape. I would love to hear your opinions. Thanks

Borderline

If you want a more natural shape leave it for this year. Come next spring, you can shorten 1/3 of overall branches. Year after do that again. By the third year you will start to see a more looser habit where gaps form between branches and that will also mean less brown branches with only green leaf at the tips. 

I think they look look better like that, you get to see the flowers form evenly in clusters and eventually they can form into a mini tree. Makes a nice strong focal point in years to come.

Nollie

I savagely chopped a seriously overgrown two of these right back a couple of summers ago. They grew right back, but now they are more shapely. The growth was so dense, though, I ended up making them into large topiary balls. Last year I made a right pigs ear of shaping one of them, accidentally chopped one bit back far too much, but this year there is enough growth already to have another go. I think they are quite vigorous!

Lizzie27

That's good to hear Nollie, because I've just had to hack a very old one right back as well.

madpenguin

This reminded me to do mine,so all done now 

Nollie

I’m sure yours will grow back fine, @Lizzie27, my two seem to be indestructible - grown in rubbish soil in cracks in the rock terrace. I don't think I could ever get rid of them if I wanted to!

Lizzie27

Ours are in a similar position, sandwiched between an old fence and a rockery. Some of the branches have grown right into and around a chain link fence which we have to disentangle somehow. Another job for the Easter hols!