Shrub Trimming & Pruning
Overgrown shrubs age a property. Properly trimmed and pruned plantings keep your home’s exterior looking intentional, healthy, and well-maintained.
30+ Years of Local Experience
We know which plants thrive in eastern Massachusetts and how to keep them healthy.
Plant-Appropriate Techniques
We prune each species at the right time and in the right way — not a one-size-fits-all trim.
Foundation & Specimen Shrubs
Foundation plantings, hedges, ornamental shrubs, and small ornamental trees.
Healthy Shrubs Don't Just Happen
Shrubs that are pruned correctly over time grow into better shape, flower more reliably, and stay healthier than shrubs that are either neglected or cut back indiscriminately. There’s a difference between shearing a shrub into a tight ball and actually pruning it — and that difference shows in how the plant looks and performs year over year.
Craig’s team has been maintaining plantings across Arlington, Lexington, and Winchester for over 30 years. We work with foundation shrubs, formal hedges, ornamental specimen plants, and small ornamental trees — with attention to the timing and technique that each species requires.
We also keep an eye on anything that’s starting to become a problem: a shrub that’s outgrowing its space, a branch that’s crossing, a plant that’s showing signs of disease.
Shrubs & Plantings We Trim and Prune
Foundation Plantings
The shrubs along your home’s foundation are among the most visible plantings on the property. Kept at the right scale and shape, they frame the house and add curb appeal. Overgrown, they obscure windows, crowd entryways, and make the house look unkempt. We prune these with the mature size of the plant in mind — not just cutting back to where they are now.
Formal Hedges
Hedges require consistent, precise trimming to maintain their form. We shear hedges with straight lines or clean curves depending on the style, and we maintain the slight taper (wider at the base) that allows sunlight to reach lower growth and prevent the typical ‘dead bottom’ that hedges develop when sheared straight up and down.
Ornamental Shrubs & Flowering Shrubs
Flowering shrubs — lilacs, viburnums, hydrangeas, forsythia — each have their own pruning calendar. Pruning a spring-blooming shrub in fall removes the flower buds it set over summer. We know the timing for each species and work accordingly. Pruning at the wrong time of year is one of the most common reasons homeowners stop getting flowers on plants that used to bloom reliably.
Small Ornamental Trees
Ornamental trees — Japanese maples, crabapples, dogwoods — benefit from careful selective pruning to maintain their structure and form. We selectively remove crossing branches, dead wood, and water sprouts rather than mass-shearing, which preserves the natural character of the plant.
When We Prune
Pruning timing varies by plant type. As a general framework for the Boston suburbs:
- Late winter / early spring (March–April): ideal for most deciduous shrubs that bloom on new wood, ornamental grasses, and any corrective pruning before growth resumes
- After bloom (late spring): the correct window for spring-blooming shrubs like lilac, forsythia, and rhododendron — immediately after flowers fade
- Summer: light shaping and maintenance trimming for fast-growing hedges and foundation plantings
- Fall: generally avoided for heavy pruning — stimulating new growth before frost is not ideal
Serving Arlington, Lexington, Winchester, & Nearby Communities
Craig’s Landscaping has been working in the Boston suburbs for over 30 years. Our primary service area covers three towns in Middlesex County:
- Arlington, MA
- Lexington, MA
- Winchester, MA
We know these neighborhoods well — the architectural styles, lot characteristics, and local permitting processes. That familiarity makes every project run smoother.
Not sure if we cover your area? Give us a call at 781.643.3841 or send us a message. If your home is outside the towns listed above, we still may be able to help you with your lawn or sod installation.