In article , echinosum
writes
do not like to cut a large shrub down to a few new green shoots in the
middle of summer. I


Love doing that It looks so much better to have lovely new green
shoots than the old flowered stems and do so tidy up a garden. Trouble
is trying to convince people that it will come back just as good next
year. i do it without he philadelphus by the front door and so it is
kept confined but even on this forum people have said i shouldn't cut
the old stems out after flowering.!
--
Janet Tweedy