Blooming shrubs add color and texture to the landscape, but some of them are more trouble than they're worth. Avoid growing these flowering plants in the yard.

Spring-blooming trees and shrubs produce their flower buds on “old wood,” i.e. branches that grew new flower buds late last season. The buds overwinter, then open in spring.

You can start pruning back your spring flowering shrubs, like lilacs, any time after they bloom. If no shaping is needed, simply prune off the spent flower heads.