All good things come to an end, and a spell of dry weather in the dead of the year is the long-awaited opportunity to remove a big shrub whose best days are over. With banana saw, loppers and secateurs, remove the outer branches, then cut down the main structure to leave a sufficient lever.

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Dig round in a circle, removing soil as you go, until the thick roots are exposed. Cut through these and search down until you’ve severed those below. When all this is completed, no more resistance will be offered. The moment of glory is at hand.

Image from www.arborfoliage.org.uk

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