Pruning Simplified: A Step-by-Step Guide to 50 Popular Trees and Shrubs

It’s that time again! Late winter to early spring is pretty much the best time to prune trees and woody shrubs. I’ve already tackled some overgrown viburnums, but the crazy weather in Chicago prevented me from finishing up the redtwig dogwoods and getting to a very, very sad (i.e., half-dead) honeysuckle.Though I’ve taken a few classes and read MANY books on pruning, I still found a lot of good advice in Pruning Simplified. It briefly covers common pruning techniques and tools, but the bulk of its content focuses on individual plants, specifically over 50 of the most widely used garden plants—from butterfly bush to crab apple, lilac to yews, and the list goes on.Each plant is listed alphabetically by its botanical name and given a two-page write-up that includes a picture, pruning tips, guidelines for when to prune and which tools to use, and step-by-step advice for different pruning “intensities.” It gives just the right amount of information without overwhelming the reader, and the how-to pictures are perfect! Very clear and helpful.There’s also a Special Features section in the back that covers more specific pruning tasks—like hedges, ground covers, conifers, etc.—and a very short spreadsheet that lists ideal pruning times for each plant.I can’t say enough good things about this book. It has been an invaluable guide for me this winter, and I know I will reference it again and again.

I purchased this book for my husband who is an avid gardener. He likes the book and says that the instructions are simple and easy to understand. However, we were hoping it would include a few more plants/shrubs common to our area.

Bought for my Thai wife that needed instruction in simple English with illustrations.

While pruning techniques are well illustrated for a large number of plants, there is a lot of overlap. I would have wished for a more generalized approach; what types of plants respond well to which method. Fruit trees are not addressed; another disappointment.

Great book with simple user friendly information for the beginner Gardner. Highly recommend.

Borrowed a public library copy. Quickly decided it needed to be in our home collection and readily available!Certainly, there are lots of YouTube videos, etc. However, a well written paragraph or two often is all you need for the job.

Good book but doesn't have anything about trimming fruit trees. Nice photos, and helpful for trimming shrubs.

Pruning Simplified is a terrific book! Beautiful and informative text, illustrations and photos. Correct pruning of my trees and shrubs always seems to be fearful task. This book provides exactly what the title implies "Pruning Simplified: a Step-by-Step Guide ".