It's a caning shrub so benefits from periodic rejuvenation pruning. Take one third of the oldest stems/canes back to ground level as soon as the bloom cycle is finished. Next year do the same and by the third year, you will have replaced ALL of the old wood with fresh, new growth.

Alternately, you can cut the entire shrub back like you neighbor did previously but I don't care for that chopped off at midgrowth look and prefer to take the shrub back to size gradually by the 1/3 method for a much more natural appearance.

Thanks Gardengal, I was looking for an alternative because I don't like the chopped off at midgrowth look either. And I can't help but wonder what shape it would take if growing all new wood from the base. I imagine a good dose of compost and mulch around it, especially since we're coming up on heat waves this weekend for 5 days of mid 90 temperatures?

a neighbor came by and persuaded me to give it a severe renewal pruning. They took out their lopers and cut all the branches to about 5ft off the ground

==>> if they had done it properly at 3 to 6 inches ... then if would be a gorgeous plant at ground level.. instead of 5 feet up like it is ... i mean.. you cant do anything under it.. so why make it that tall ... and if they did the whole thing.. then you know you dont have to mess with the one third method ...

with no insult to the root mass ... this thing will be back with a vengeance asap ...

that said.. youve seen it done.. so just do it ... you cant beat most of these things back with a stick ..

watch a couple of these .. the rejuvenation process is not specific to any given plant.. its what you do with these kind of shrubs ... no special rules for this plant ... just make sure its the right type of shrub.. and then do it after flowering.. so it can regrow and be ready to flower next year ...

ken

https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=rejuvenation+pruning++shrubs+&iax=videos&ia=videos

Thanks for the link, Ken.

Yes, I was a less experienced gardener back then and actually that neighbor was really pushy and I knew it needed it, she was there, lopers in hand, offering to do it, I didn't know how to do it, so I let her. I'm not usually a push over, so it's an event that surprises me looking back on it. lol

I've been looking forward to getting this done, I'm very interested in seeing how different the shrub might look after a different way of pruning it. I did actually take probably a quarter off it last season, because it had a lot of dead branches and crossed branches but I could see it had more issues with the interior where the leaves were collecting, so I knew I'd have to do something more aggressive.

With other shrubs, when I've cut back low to the ground, I think I've left a stub of a branch too large sometimes, so I'll be interested in how close to the ground they recommend in these videos and how you get closer to the ground. I'm probably going to use a hand pruning saw and lopers for the most part.

I was just looking at the Kolkwitzia. It's stopped being super fragrant and some of the petals are falling on the ground, and I notice that it already has some new growth on it. New branches that have no flowers on them, so I assume they are new this year. I'm wondering if that is the case, that the shrub pushes out new growth before it stops flowering so that when you prune it, it's already put some energy into new growth. Anyone have any ideas if that is the case?

So, that's checked off the list. Very happy to have that job done. It looks a lot better and we put a layer of compost around it and watered it in and I look forward to seeing what it is going to do. Thanks for all the help.