i have a sam/nigra and want to know how to stop it growing scraggy

I think thats just what Elders do, they are very quick growers and i dont think much can be done. Perhaps trim it down to a shoot on the stem, but it will probably do the same thing next year.

I'm disappointed with this too - however much you cut it, it justs shoots up long, woody growths all over again - can't help feeling the yellow version, which is slightly slower growing, is better.

Spidery is a good description, they ARE that !

They're not elegant plants because they stretch and flop a lot and get wide, long and rangey !!!
I don't think you can really stop it from happening.

I think they do need to be in the right position to allow them to 'be themselves'.

I don't hard-prune mine, I just trim it to shape. That seems to work better, and I get to keep the lovely flowers.

I don't prune mine either - well, maybe snip an end here and there but nothing of any real consequence !
The flowers look beautiful on it, don't they ?

Yes....so I don't just grow it for the foliage!