Pruning made simple
Everything a home gardener needs to prune well: how to cut, when to prune, and what each common garden plant needs. Short videos, quick checks and a checklist for your own garden in every lesson.
10 lessons16 minutes of video58 flashcardsLifetime access
Start with lessons 1 and 2: the basic cut, and the flowering rule that tells you when to prune almost any shrub. The rest of the course applies that rule to each group of plants.
The basics
How to cut, and the one rule that tells you when
- 1Where and how to cutWhy we prune, what to remove first, how to make a cut a plant can seal, and which tool to use.
- 2When to prune: the flowering ruleThe one question that decides when to prune almost any shrub, the RHS pruning groups, and the times to avoid.Free lesson
Shrubs
Spring, summer and evergreen shrubs, lavender and conifers
- 3Spring and early-summer shrubsPruning forsythia, weigela, mock orange and flowering currant straight after flowering, groups 3 and 5, and renovating an overgrown shrub.
- 4Summer shrubs and coloured stemsPruning buddleja, caryopteris and hardy fuchsias in spring, and cutting dogwoods, willows and smoke bush hard for stems and leaves.
- 5Evergreens, lavender and conifersLight pruning for evergreens, trimming lavender without killing it, and why most conifers can't be cut back hard.
Roses and climbers
Roses, clematis, hydrangeas and wisteria
- 6RosesPruning bush roses in late winter, the difference between climbing and rambling roses, and deadheading.Free lesson
- 7ClematisThe three clematis pruning groups, how to tell which you have, and the common mistakes.
- 8Hydrangeas and wisteriaMophead and lacecap hydrangeas versus paniculata and arborescens, and pruning wisteria twice a year for flowers.
Fruit, hedges and trees
Apples, pears, plums, cherries, hedges and the law
- 9Fruit treesWinter pruning apples and pears, spur- and tip-bearers, and why plums and cherries are pruned in summer.
- 10Hedges, trees and the lawHow often to trim common hedges, protecting nesting birds, shaping and renovating hedges, and when to call a tree surgeon.
Before you buy
Does it cover my plants?
It covers the pruning groups that most garden shrubs belong to, plus roses, clematis, hydrangeas, wisteria, lavender, conifers, fruit trees and hedges. The second lesson teaches the one rule that tells you when to prune almost any shrub.
Do I need special tools?
Sharp, clean bypass secateurs do most of the work. The first lesson explains when you need loppers or a pruning saw, and when a job is one for a qualified tree surgeon.
Are GardenSteps courses RHS courses?
No. GardenSteps is independent. Our courses follow the Royal Horticultural Society's published guidance, but they aren't affiliated with or endorsed by the RHS.
Who are the courses for?
Home gardeners in the UK, from complete beginners to people who garden every year and want to stop guessing. You don't need any experience.
How long does each lesson take?
The videos are about two minutes each. With the quick check, the flashcards and the checklist, a lesson takes around ten minutes, so you can do one over a cup of tea and then go out into the garden.
How long do I have access?
A single course is yours for as long as we run it, with no subscription. If we ever close a course, we'll give you at least 12 months' notice and a way to download its summary sheets. The all-access pass opens every course for 12 months.
What is the all-access pass?
One payment of £79 opens every GardenSteps course for 12 months, including any new courses we release during that time, with all the summary sheets and handouts. It doesn't renew automatically: we email you a month before it ends, and renewing early adds the new year to the end of your current one. Handouts you've downloaded are yours to keep.
Which devices can I use?
Any modern phone, tablet or computer, so you can take a lesson out into the garden. The summary sheets are PDF files you can print.
Can I get a refund?
You can cancel within 14 days. Because the courses are digital content, the right to cancel ends once you start the lessons, and we ask you to confirm this at checkout. See our refund policy for details.