Winter is the ideal time for pruning deciduous shrubs but are you unsure where to start? Join us for a practical one day workshop designed to build up your skills and knowledge, enabling you to go home and prune your shrubs with confidence before the spring kicks in!
“I had an amazing day with Jenny. Came away feeling much more confident about what and when I should be maintaining my garden. I had a really enjoyable day.” Deborah
Pruning is a subject that many gardeners worry about getting right; there are so many different types of shrubs, so many ways to prune, and online advice can be confusing and contradictory.
Our one-day Introduction to Pruning workshop, led by professional gardener Jenny Samuels, will take you through the basic principles of pruning and how to apply them to any deciduous shrub. By the end of the day, you will have greatly increased your skills, knowledge and confidence in pruning.
This is a practical day, where you will be able to practice pruning a variety of shrubs yourself.
We will start the day looking at the reasons that gardeners worry about pruning and why books and on-line guides can feel confusing and nuanced. Jenny will then explore the principles of pruning; why we prune, how the plant responds to pruning, and why winter is a good time to prune many deciduous shrubs. You will look at three different types of winter pruning; maintenance, restoration and hard pruning and students will have a go at all three types.
After covering the theory, you will spend time practising the skills and techniques in the beautiful gardens of Danny House, all under Jenny’s expert guidance.
The teaching group is kept small so that there is plenty of opportunity for everyone to be able practice the skills taught, and also so you can ask your questions. Full teaching notes will be provided to you as a record of the course content.
• Why we prune and how the plant responds
• Which plants to prune in winter
• Correct pruning cuts
• Restoration pruning of overgrown shrubs
• Which shrubs require hard pruning
• Maintenance pruning for better long-term health and shape
• Equipment to use
• Understand the difference between hard pruning, maintenance pruning and restoration pruning and how to apply it to the correct shrubs
• Feel confident to perform maintenance pruning on ANY deciduous shrub
• Know how to correctly reduce the size of an overgrown shrub
• Know how to hard prune a shrub without fear of killing it!
• Know how to make correct pruning cuts
• Be able to predict how a plant will respond to the way you have pruned it
• Understand when to use secateurs, loppers, or a pruning saw
Beginners with no experience, or gardeners with some gardening knowledge who’d like to know more.
You should be able to spend a morning outside on your feet, although you are welcome to bring a folding chair with you to sit on if this is helpful.
Jenny Samuels is the owner of the Lindfield Gardening Company, and has a wide range of experience including horticultural gardening, planting design and teaching gardening to enthusiastic beginners. Jenny’s approach to teaching gardening is influenced by a passion for greener gardening and a strong belief in working with your soil and climate rather than against it.
Standard Ticket: £92
Friday 26th February 2027
10.30am – 2.30pm
Danny House, New Way Lane, Hurstpierpoint, West Sussex, BN6 9BB
Please bring a packed lunch with you. This workshop will be going outside as weather allows, so please bring your own hot or cold drinks depending on weather.
Once you have booked, you will receive an email confirmation.
Shortly before your course date you will receive another email giving directions and any joining instructions.
admin@julietsargeant.com
Tel: 01273 834 083
Sussex Garden School
Oak Studio
Old Barn Nurseries
Worthing Road, Dial Post
Horsham RH13 8NU
