These trees will grow to massive proportions given the chance, and can grow by up to 6 feet in a year, if you reduce it by half it will very soon get to 6 feet again, plus you should get the juvenile foliage again, which I think looks a lot better than the mature leaf.

Hello! You can cut it right down to the base, ie ground level, from where it will re-sprout and then can be contained as a 6ft bush. Any cuttings, to keep it in shape, have the most lovely clean fresh fragrance and do well in a vase. It is not a tree that responds to being reduced as a tree, ie it is either a massive tree or a managed bush, but never a small tree. Chopping the main trunk down to 6ft will result in a bush of sprouts at the cutting point and along the rest of the stem down to the base.

Thank you for both the answers but could you say if it OK to cut it now at this time of year or if not when/ Thank you.

It will be fine to do it now, early spring, Iwould cut it right back to the base and keep it as a shrub, pruning annually in late winter/ early spring

Agree ... it will definitely re-sprout from the base - never known one not to ... yet! Prune as and when needed by hand, at any time of year, or with a hedge trimmer if you happen to be using it at the time. If we have a very severe winter like the previous year, pop a fleece bag over it to stop any severe die back. The root will still sprout again regardless - they are pretty bomb-proof trees!!

thanks for replies, most helpful, will get it done asap.