Expert Plant Care
The Difference Between Pruning and Just Cutting Things Back
When pruning is done properly, with the right cut, right place, and right time of year, plants respond with better shape, more flowers, and stronger health. When it's done badly, you lose all three.
What You Get
Professional Pruning that gets results
Pruning is species-specific cutting timed to each plant's seasonal cycle, removing dead wood, guiding shape, promoting flowering, and preventing disease through clean, correctly placed cuts. It's one of the most knowledge-dependent tasks in garden management, because every species has its own rules about when and how to cut. Pruning is built into our monthly garden care program, with each visit addressing whatever is due for attention that season. For gardens that have fallen behind, our Initial Clean Up (ICU) tackles overgrown or neglected plants first, restoring shape and health before regular monthly care continues.
Species-specific pruning techniques
Seasonal timing for optimal results
Removal of dead, diseased, or damaged wood
Shaping for aesthetic appeal
Promotion of flowering and fruiting
Disease prevention through proper cuts
Why It Matters
Why does the timing and technique of pruning matter more than most people realise?
I see the results of bad pruning constantly. A camellia that someone hacked back in April, and they've just removed every flower bud the plant set for winter. Roses pruned in early May before the coldest months, and the new shoots get burnt by frost. A crepe myrtle "topped" into ugly stumps every year when it should be thinned for structure. These aren't just aesthetic mistakes. They set the plant back, sometimes permanently.
Technique matters just as much as timing. Cuts made in the wrong place (too far from a node, at the wrong angle, or leaving a stub) don't heal cleanly. They become entry points for disease and decay. Proper pruning cuts are made just above an outward-facing bud, at a slight angle, with sharp tools that produce a clean wound the plant can seal quickly.
For Melbourne's eastern suburbs gardens, which often feature a mix of natives, exotics, and established ornamentals, this species-specific knowledge is essential. Each plant has its own pruning calendar, and getting it right is the difference between a thriving specimen and a struggling one.
Our Process
How it works
Plant Assessment
We identify species and determine pruning needs.
Timing Check
Ensure pruning is done at the optimal season.
Careful Pruning
Precise cuts using sharp, clean tools.
Cleanup
All prunings removed and area left tidy.
Why Choose Us
Why homeowners trust ABS
Burnley-Trained Expertise
Anthony's Diploma of Horticulture from Burnley means formal, university-level plant science behind every pruning decision, not just experience, but education.
Each Plant Has Its Own Calendar
Camellias after flowering, roses in winter, crepe myrtles in late winter, gardenias in autumn. We know the window for every species.
Tools Sterilised Between Plants
Disease spreads through pruning cuts. We sterilise our tools between plants, not just between jobs, preventing cross-contamination that most operators never think about.
More Flowers, Not Fewer
Bad pruning removes next season's buds. We know where each species forms its flower buds and prune to promote blooming, not eliminate it.
Shape With the Plant, Not Against It
We enhance each plant's natural habit rather than forcing it into a shape it can't sustain. The best pruning is invisible, and the plant just looks right.
We See Problems You Can't
When we're pruning, we're also inspecting. Borers, scale, dieback, crossing branches, we catch issues inside the canopy that aren't visible from outside.
Client Stories
What our clients say
"We've used Anthony and his team for several projects over many years – from a large scale re-design and remodelling and replanting, to everyday garden care and maintenance. His service is great and we're very happy to recommend him."
Andrew & Caroline
Surrey Hills
"I have been impressed by the high quality of your work, your friendly and very prompt service and your reliability… I would give you and your workers a star rating of 5 out of 5."
Jill
Hawthorn East
"We were attracted not only to the house but also to a small but special garden with many unusual plants… we have been very happy to have Anthony and Sam keeping a watchful eye and giving the garden whatever TLC is needed. They are reliable and we have confidence in the care they take."
Sue
Kew
"Anthony and his team are a pleasure to have around. They are all absolute gentlemen and they do a wonderful job. Reliable and diligent."
Suzie
Malvern
"ABS Horticulture have been caring for our townhouse garden for many years… We have introduced some of our friends to ABS and they too have expressed satisfaction with ABS capable design and maintenance work."
Gilbert
Glen Iris
"The ABS team have looked after our garden for the last two and a half years. They have helped keep the old girl under control and the transformation of the back garden has been amazing."
Anita
Kooyong
"We are completely satisfied with the work done by Abs. We have a large yard with a huge gum that drops constant litter across our garden. Sam and Anthony are incredibly professional and nice…and they care about the end result!! Always discrete and always leave the property in impeccable condition. We have a monthly maintenance which has reinvented our garden! No need to worry about the right time to fertilise or prune, just sit back and enjoy!"
Donagh
Melbourne
"Very happy with these guys. After a year or so of having them look after my place I wanted to revamp my garden completely, they chose the best plants and flowers for the area, their attention to detail is superb and my place looks amazing!"
Pip
Melbourne
"Anthony and Sam have done a great job maintaining and improving my garden over the past couple of years. Highly recommended."
Sue
Melbourne
"ABS Horticulture has been looking after our garden for over 10 years. In that time, Anthony's team have proven to be reliable, skilled and prompt with their services. The staff are always polite and their workmanship is top notch, whether it is lawn care, pruning, or shaping our numerous bay trees and hedges. I love coming home from work on the day ABS have serviced our garden, it always looks great."
Tom
Elsternwick
Helpful Resources
More About Pruning
How Much Does Garden Maintenance Cost in Melbourne? (2026 Pricing Guide)
Transparent pricing guide for garden maintenance services in Melbourne. Understand what affects costs, what services include, and how to budget for professional garden care.
What Does a Garden Maintenance Service Include? (Complete Breakdown)
Complete breakdown of what professional garden maintenance services include. Understand exactly what tasks are performed and what results you can expect.
How Often Should Garden Maintenance Be Done? (Monthly vs Fortnightly)
Monthly garden maintenance suits most established Melbourne gardens. Here's how to decide between monthly and fortnightly based on your garden type, plants, and seasons.
Monthly Care
What to expect as a client
Each plant assessed individually at every visit, with pruning carried out only when the timing and need align.
Species-specific technique, and we know the difference between how to prune a westringia, a camellia, and a crepe myrtle.
Dead, diseased, or crossing branches removed promptly to maintain plant health and reduce disease risk.
Spent flowers deadheaded to encourage repeat blooming on species that respond to it.
Gradual reshaping of overgrown plants over successive visits rather than a single drastic cut that shocks the plant.
Clean, sharp tools used on every job, sterilised between plants to prevent cross-contamination of disease.
Ongoing vs One-Off
Monthly pruning keeps plants in shape, while annual pruning plays catch-up
We manage a garden in Surrey Hills with about thirty different shrub and tree species. If we only visited once a year, we'd have to prune everything in one go, regardless of whether it was the right time for each plant. The roses, the camellias, the gardenias, the westringias, they all have completely different pruning windows. With monthly visits, we prune the gardenias after they finish flowering in late autumn, the roses in winter, the westringias through spring, each at exactly the right moment.
Monthly pruning also means lighter cuts each time. Instead of removing a large amount of growth at once, which is stressful and often means cutting into old wood where regrowth is slow, we guide shape gradually. The result is plants that maintain their natural form consistently, flower more reliably, and stay healthier because issues are caught before they take hold.
The monthly difference
One-off care
Monthly program
Transparent Pricing
Simple, fair pricing, no surprises
Our pruning service is priced based on the scope of work. Contact us for a free, no-obligation quote tailored to your garden.
Free
Initial Quote
No obligation site visit
Fair
Transparent Pricing
Clear quotes, no hidden fees
Flexible
Payment Options
Bank transfer, easy & convenient
Get Started
Ready to transform your garden?
Book a free 15-minute call. We'll discuss your pruning needs, answer your questions, and provide a no-obligation quote.
No pressure. No obligation. Just a conversation about your garden.