The reason it is recommended to prune them into balls, or squares is because they deal very well with pruning. Fear not, they will be just fine. It will just take a few years of letting them grow to regain their natural shape. If you are looking to keep them natural looking, selective pruning is the way to go. If they are planted in a row I would suggest letting them grow in to one another, and doing selective pruning to keep them all relatively the same height and width to attain a nice low hedge. Water regularly and fertilize every couple of months to encourage growth.

sell the shearer ... an buy a good pair of hand pruners ... quality costs a bit ...

and then give the plants a year or two ... to go rogue ... then start reshaping them into the form you want ...

and get some meds for your rampaging tendencies.. lol ...

when you get ready ... do one plant.. then look at it for a week ... give yourself.. time to decide .. if you like what you did ... then.. go after the rest methodically, rather than in a rampage ... or change your method ...

ken

Thank you! That is reassuring. I will leave them alone, then, and hide the shears.

i said get rid of them .... you're the one who used the word rampage.. lol ...

or have someone else hide them ... lol

ken

I know, I know. I had actually thought of throwing them away before you said that, but my husband says they stay. I'll get him to hide them, or to put them somewhere high up. :)

i was was feeling a bit stressed on the day of the rampage. Maybe it is best to stay away from the garden tools when agitated!

if it helped remove some other stress ... then good .. cheaper than meds.. or dr. calls .. lol ...

nothing every died due to pruning ...

ken

you know how i ended up with a huge garden ... i would come home from work ... and dig holes ... and by that.. i mean remove sod.. loosen soil ... but throw it back in so the soil doesnt dry out ... easier to dig when i got the plant ...

and on the weekend ..... i would go buy things to plant in the holes.. lol ...

gardening is great for stress reduction ...

ken

Maybe I'll try attacking the ground rather than the existing plants, then!