Hard Pruning Overgrown Boxwoods: A Two-Year Strategy for Recovery

Boxwoods don't rebound from severe shearing like hollies do. Instead of a buzz cut, use a phased reduction: this year, remove up to one-quarter of the total mass by cutting out the largest interior limbs at their base. This creates "craters" in the canopy, but adjacent branches quickly sprout to fill them.

Next spring, remove another quarter. In two seasons you've reduced size significantly while maintaining a natural, leafy form. Patience preserves the shrub's health and aesthetics.