If you mean the Kilmarnock willow, they always get too long over time, and its quite usual to cut back to leave clearance between the ends of the branches and the ground. This shouldn't affect flowering, especially if its done in late spring, when the tree finishes flowering anyway.

Thanks Bamboo. I think I will have to try some judicious pollarding now and kill or cure, because my cousin is practically waving an axe at it already! I'm going over tomorrow to try and persuade her to give it another chance!

Remember, when pruning, that the graft is usually at the top of the standard stem - cutting back beyond that means all you'll get it is growth off the rootstock, which you certainly don't want. Even hard cutting back to the graft will likely encourage rootstock growth, both off the standard stem and from below ground.

Thanks Bamboo, I'll be careful. If it doesn't work the poor thing will be for the chop anyway, I fear.