By Barbarak
North Yorkshire,
United Kingdom 
Philadelphus advice again please. I have one that flowered this year but has been very neglected (it's our new garden) so that the 'stems' at the base are intertwined and some are almost small tree trunks being about 6inch diameter. It was very tall and the flowers had no scent. I managed to cut the flowering stems down to about 3 foot after flowering but I really want to renovate it but can't get loppers between the trunks. Will it survive if we take all the stems down to just above ground level with a chain saw
8 Oct, 2014
Answers
I agree and I would cut my losses and remove the old plant and put in a new one with a lovely scent. Afterall one of the reasons for growing this lovely shrub is to enjoy the scent on am early summer's evening. Good luck.
9 Oct, 2014
yes it will resprout but you will as Spritz says be left with the centre. We have done it twice now but the one I have is beautifully scented.
9 Oct, 2014
Thanks for advice. Looks like some hard work ahead this winter.
9 Oct, 2014
If it's that old, couldn't you get rid of it and plant a scented version? It probably would send up new shoots if you did do that drastic 'cut-back', but the stump would still be rather ugly, I think.
9 Oct, 2014