Pruned Spirea japonica

Poor little Spirea! He needs a hat ;o)

Well, I read in my AG magazine that they should be hard-pruned at this time of year. I checked in Dr Hessayon and in my RHS pruning book and all said the same thing - prune to 6" from the ground. The two I have 'done' were very straggly and something needed to be done - so I did - and how! They both have shoots showing near the base, so the worst thing (apart from killing them!) is that I'll lose flowers this year, I was a coward when it came to my 'Goldflame' and I've just trimmed it and cut out dead wood. You could wait and see what happens to mine - or be brave!

I have a spirea in the wrong place but can't get the roots out. Every Spring I chop it down to ground level, and every year it re-shoots and flowers with a vengeance.

Well done - have a medal for bravery on me, Buzzbee! I am still being a coward over my S.'Goldflame' because it has lots of lovely gold shoots opening up!