Pruned to within an inch of their lives......

If your shrubs could, they’d jump up and run when they see someone coming at them with shears in hand! Shearing cuts all the new growth to one length, creating a dense mat of foliage that prevents sunlight from getting to the center of the plant. Once that light is blocked, no new growth will come from below. Now, shear them again. And again. Year after year, cutting off the topmost growth and preventing any growth beneath it. You now have what is referred to in the trade as a mushroom, or possibly a lollipop. That’s a trunk, bare from the ground up, and an oddly shaped top of foliage pruned to within an inch of its life.

It’s entirely possible to keep the shrubs tidy and neat, full of flowers, and plan for future growth with a little careful attention.  The answer is to put away the shears, get some hand pruners and prune only what really needs it. First, cut out any dead or diseased stems.  Then trim back where it’s touching the house. Make a little space between it and the next plant to keep some air circulation.  If the plant is blocking a window, or will one day grow to block a window, is there a better place to put it? If cutting back the top can’t be avoided, then make cuts at different depths along the main stem to keep that umbrella of darkness from forming on the foliage beneath. Cut down to the next stem, getting your blades as close to the base as you can so there won’t be an unsightly nub and the cut will heal quickly. It’s the same process for cutting along the outside of a plant to keep if off a walkway or separate it from another plant in the bed. 

Just go slow and consider the result of the cut you’re about to make before you make it.  Like all new skills, it gets easier with practice. Your shrubs will thank you with greater health and longevity.