I tend to cut off the bits I dont want and to maintain a decent shape.

We had to bite teh bullet yesterday and remove one that had become far to large due to our not pruning. We tried just pruning back but it was dead in the middle and looked dire. Now there is a huge hole to fill in the garden - rubs hands with glee!

Oooh!! What are you going to plant. Mg?

It's not a disaster, it's an opportunity!

Exactly we have a rather nice Sorbus 'Joseph Rock' in a pot which will go in the space and - because it will grow 'up' we can underplant in a year or so :-) It is about a metre in height right now. We do need to plant something as it is part of the screening from the road. Himself did a clear and sort out of the area this afternoon and it will look a lot better for the pieris going