Hi everybody. I have a bush in my border which is around 5 feet or so
tall and very 'round' shaped. It has glossy leaves (bit like a
laurel)but they are variegated, dark leaves - light spots. The leaves
are softly serrated and average three or four inches long. It is full
of small red berries just now, but they are falling off. The thicker
stems are about one inch thick and green in colour. It is also
evergreen.

My problem is that this bush is nice to look at, but way too big and
it is almost hollow inside. I have read up on pruning but the advice
seems to be to cut back to leaf joints and in my case some of the
stems are three feet long but only have leaves on the last six inches!
Can I just cut it back hard and start again, or should I thin it out
(which seems unlikely)? I would like the plant to be the same shape
it is now, but about half it's present size.

One final question - I have a beatiful magnolia (niagra) which has
finished flowering, do I pull off the bits that are left like Alan
Tichmarsh does with Rhododendrons, or leave them on? This is a new
plant this year for me and is already tieing with my 'remembrance'
rose for favourite flower.

Many thanks in advance. I read a lot here and enjoy it but don't post
much.

Andy.