I have an old hydrangea aspera in my front yard. It stands at about 10' tall and wide. I would like to reduce its size so that I can maintain it at about 7' so that it doesn't block a dining room window and a path that runs along its side. I have been at the house for about 4 years now and up until now I have only minimally pruned it since I have read that this type of hydrangea doesn't require much pruning. How should I go about renovating this shrub and reducing its size? I know that Rhododendrons can be hacked back to the ground and they'll come back just fine. My preference would be to take a more gradual approach so that the shrub still produces some blooms each year, but I am willing to do what it takes. Also can I start this process now? FYI, I didn't get to pruning it yet this late winter/early spring. Thanks!
Some rhododendrons will sprout well from stumps, however with the recent prevalence of mildew there may not be as much latitude as there once was. Your hydrangea, however, can be started over from near the ground with assurance. Now would be a good time.
Thanks Ron. As scary as it sounds I'll take your advice and prune it down to near ground level this weekend. Until it fills in with new growth there will be a large void in the flower bed!
