Pruning is done in Spring after flowering. Feed with well rotted manure after pruning.

Cut damaged stems first, such as those with blackened leaves or those that have dropped some leaves. Trim with pruning shears just above the healthy leaf cluster farthest from the ground. If the entire stem is damaged, cut it off at ground level.

Trim any stems that extend around the edges of the patch into a path or onto a wall just above a leaf cluster about 2 inches inside the patch’s general border. If the stem starts at the border of the area you want to clear, trim it at ground level.

Clip any stems that awkwardly grow beyond the plant's regular height at the junction of the stem and its supporting stem. If it does not connect to a supporting stem, clip it at ground level.

Trim the oldest stems of sweet box at ground level to keep it looking young. The oldest stems will be woody and thicker than the rest and will be located in the oldest part of the patch.

Wow! Owdboggy, such detailed info on how to prune this shrub. I've just bought one and put it in a pot for now, with plenty of organic matter as advised by growers.

I'll certainly look your advice up when it gets bigger and I want to keep it a certain size. I love it and have wanted it for ages. The plant I received is a good size for what I paid and has berries and flower buds on it. But the leaves are yellow, and I'm hoping some TLC will bring the leaves back to their proper colour. Thank you for the info.

Thanks Owlboggy great advice

I have one in a pot beside the front door. It smells wonderful just when I need it to. However, it has suckered inside the pot and I'd like to remove it to reduce it's size. The trouble is the pot is quite large and quite beyond my ability to move it let alone (wom)manhandle it. I just hope it won't break the pot.