Berberis - pruning advice please

[greyhound]

There is an old berberis in my garden which has grown far too big, and I would really like to get it back to more manageable proportions.  I am thinking of tackling it once it has stopped flowering.  Many of the longer branches are only flowering right at the tips. 

How far can I cut it back?  Would it come back from a really radical haircut?  ???

[greyhound]

[simon404]

Depending on the variety you should be able to cut it right back to the ground and it will come back as Berberis are generally as tough as old boots. Alteratively, if that sounds a bit drastic, you could cut a third of the stems back to ground level this year, a third next year and the last third the year after that (regenerative pruning). Good luck!  :)

[greyhound]

Thanks!  It's darwinii, I think - yellow/orange flowers and spiny dark green leaves?  Doing it in stages sounds like a good plan, I will probably try that. 

Will certainly need the luck as it's viciously thorny!  :o

[Twospot Ladybird]

Yep, that's Darwinii. Produces blue berries later in the year and the leaves look like tiny holly leaves.

[greyhound]

Well, I did it, and drastically - chopped it right down.  And look at it now!  I'm so pleased:  didn't want to lose it, but I'll be able to keep it trimmed and within bounds now.

And we can see the clematis now ... :)