Pruning

You'd think a person who named her blog, The Weedy Garden, would be a somewhat skilled or at least enthusiastic gardener in the 3D world--not so much. I knew that my worries were taking on a new dimension when I woke up from a dream about flower arranging in a sweat because the dream had made the necessity of digging up several enormous bushes and replacing them with cutting flowers inescapable. I fear pruning. To me the plant should be free to express itself. Who am I to tell a bush where it ought to go and how it should grow--the owner, that's who.
I thought it would ease my fears if I looked at manuals for pruning. I expected them to be like the friendly little Ortho books they sell at garden centers in the Spring. I own several of those, Vines, Herbs, Lawn Care. The books I finally did come across were hallowed manuals already reprinted several times. They were thick and complicated. There was no simple directory for say holly, that I could turn to in my urgent fear. It doesn't help matters that not only are the books organized for experts not fearful beginners, but I don't know the names of half the bushes in our yard any way. The end result is--gigantic bushes. I guess they've got to go. It would make room for a cutting garden. hmmm.