what can I do with this?

I have a shrub that I think is a type of cotoneaser, similar to another post, small leaves, lots of berries, the stems are dark red, it is very attractive..BUT I inherited this one in the garden of my new[ish] house and I don't know what to do with it, as it is like the leaning tower of Pisa! I think it should be drastically pruned but not sure where to start. it looks OK from the front but from the side - this is how I see it from a window, it looks awful. any ideas please as to what to do. thanks.

Re: what can I do with this?

Reply from Patricia Jones

You will get red berries that the birds love this autumn. Once they have had their fill I believe it can be hard pruned.Once pruned you will loose a years fruit as it flowers and fruits on the previous years growth of wood.This plant need to grow on a slope , so it is growing in the wrong place.

Re: what can I do with this?

Reply from Carol

Is all that wood the main stems of the plant?
There are times when pruning is not the answer (unless a plant is super-rare and really valuable). How tragic would it be to lose it and start again with another, or something different?

Re: what can I do with this?

Reply from ELAINE HUTSON

If this is Cotoneaster parneyi or lacteus, I would prune it in Feb, but now is fine, you will lose some berries. I thin out rather than head back, attack the shrub from the underside, removing weak growth and criss- cross branches, then stand back and look at the structure of the plant, then make careful decisions to keep the scaffolding limbs. It has beautiful structure, one just has to see it.

Re: what can I do with this?

Reply from Annie Bell

thanks for the replies. yes Carol - that is all the wood, the shrub is actually growing sideways! I don't want to get rid of it completely as it seems such a shame, but would like to cut it back to about half its size. does anyone think this would be OK?