What you should prune this time of year:

• Bradford Pear (Pyrus calleryana)
• Butterfly Bush (Buddleia Davidii)
• Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica)
• Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)
• Flowering Plum (Prunus blireana)
• Glossy Abelia (Abelia x grandiflora)
• Golden Rain Tree (Koelreuteria paniculata)
• Honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissiam)
• Hydrangea, Peegee (Hydrangea paniculata ‘Grandiflora’)
• Potentilla (Potentilla fruticosa)
• Redbud (Cercis canadensis)
• Spirea (except Bridal Wreath) (Spirea japonica))
• Wisteria (Wistera species)

What tools you will need:

• Hand Pruners: The tool you will use most often are your hand pruners. Make sure you buy a good pair that fits your hand properly and can be sharpened easily. Also consider buying a pair of hand pruners which has blades that cross one another (known as bypass baldes) when you make the cut rather than blades that come down on metal (also known as anvil style) when they are closed.  This will help minimize damage to branches and stems when you are pruning them.

How to Prune:

There are a lot of things to consider when pruning plants and trees following are some general tips. For more detailed guidance on how to prune specific plants you can contact a local green house or nursery or even consult your local hardware store as so many of them are now holding free do it your self workshops.
Shrubs or trees planted close together in a row to form a wind-break or high screen should be allowed to retain their natural form and characteristics. Pruning should be  confined to heading back for density and removal of broken diseased or dead branches.
New Hedges are usually set out close together in two staggered rows. You should start pruning these plants as soon as noticeable growth takes place. Do not wait until the hedge reaches the desired height before beginning to train them. Several trimmings of small amounts will allow it to grow larger and become a tighter and bushier hedge.
Mature Hedges should be trimmed when they are growing the fastest and how frequently depends on the type of hedge.
Old Hedges should be cut back to a few inches above the ground in early spring and then trimmed and pruned like a new planting. This works best with deciduous hedges but is also possible with some evergreen hedges as long as you have a few branches with leaves on them.
Roses generally bloom in summer but should be pruned in late winter/early spring after the last frost when buds are beginning to swell. First prune out any dead, diseased or damaged canes then prune all canes back to wood that is green on the outside and milky white on the inside. Remove any canes that cross by cutting them off at the center of the plant. A vase shape is best for most rose bushes and allows light into the right places.
Evergreens such as firs, balsam, spruce and pine trees should not be heavily pruned or sheared because new growth usually does not come from mature wood. To thicken the growth prune the center tip of the side branches. Pruning should be done in late winter and again in early summer.
Broad leaved evergreens such as rhododendron need little pruning except to preserve their natural shape and to remove dead or broken branches.
Flowering Shrubs usually require little pruning. Long term neglect or having a long harsh winter could mean the shrubs need a major thinning out. To prevent the shrub from becoming straggly you should prune the poorest branches back to the ground and shorten the others to a reasonable length.
Shrubs that flower on new branches may be pruned in late winter before the buds become green. These shrubs should be left alone however for the first few years after they are planted.
Fruit Trees should be pruned as they grow to ensure that the branches are spaced and strong enough to handle heavy loads of ripe fruit.