Question 

I am the caregiver for my 88-year-old mother. She still lives in her own home and has a nice yard to care for. Until my father passed away, he managed the grass and the shrubs. 

Now that dad is gone mom and I are trying to figure out how he took care of the yard. We figured out grass cutting once we got the lawnmower going. It is the shrubs that are puzzling us. Mom never really paid attention to what dad did. The yard always looked so great when he was caring for things. 

I live in an apartment nearby. Since dad is gone and mom does not have a clue, it is up to me to figure out what to do with things. We could just let them go, but something tells me that it would not be a good idea to ignore them. 

Mom cannot afford to hire someone to do regular landscaping work, so the two of us need to figure this out. I would hate to let the yard start to look neglected. 

I could use a little guidance on where to begin. They have about 30 shrubs in the yard of various kinds. 

Answer 

Your situation is a good example of what it is like when you become a caregiver for a parent. It is not just about personal care, but home management as well. As you are discovering, caregiving will require skills and techniques that may be new to you. In your case, landscaping is a learning opportunity. 

You have already assessed that ignoring the shrubs might not be the best solution. I agree with you. As you likely discovered, they just keep growing and are likely to grow out of shape and size for your beds, and this happens in a year or two depending on the shrub. 

The first thing to do is figure out what type of shrubs you have. To do this, simply take your phone outside and take a picture of each type of shrub. There are several applications online that will help you identify what the shrub is. A more traditional approach is to clip a few leaves or a branch and take along with your photo to a garden center. It is quite likely that you will find each shrub there but in a smaller version. 

Once you have identified what you have, you can begin the process of figuring out what to do with each shrub. All shrubs do not look the same, and pruning and shaping is not the same for them either. 

Learning what to do with each shrub is the most exciting part of this journey and will turn you into an artisan, with a bit of research and practice. Since you now know what you have, you can start the search. I recommend an internet search, YouTube videos, landscape magazines, garden center staff, and local landscapers. People love to share their knowledge, so ask questions of neighbors or anyone who seems to have pruning skills. Do not trust one site or one person. There is a tremendous amount of bad advice out there when it comes to pruning, since most people do it themselves. The absolute best source is an arborist or a seasoned landscaper. You do want to get the same advice from three different, reputable sources before you start clipping. 

Many people simply grab an electric clipper and go out and lob off the ends of their shrubs, making a globe shape. That is not the optimal solution. Some shrubs should be thinned and pruned in winter, others like lilacs, are pruned shortly after they flower in early summer. Some shrubs can be pruned almost to the ground and others no further than the last new bud. That is why you want to learn about each shrub before you head into the yard and start hacking away. 

Hopefully, your father left behind quality pruning tools. Two are really all you need to trim, a handheld pruner and a long handled one. If purchasing new, go for quality tools. Expect to spend about $75-$100 for a good pruner. Quality tools are so much easier to work with and can last a lifetime. 

This sounds like a lot of work for a shrub, but the knowledge you will pick up will last a lifetime and serve you well should you ever decide to jump into home ownership. You will also find that pruning can be quite satisfying once you get the hang of it. I wish you well on this journey.