pruning

It depends entirely on what you want to prune!!!!!!
RHS Pruning and Training book is full of everything you need to know.

A very 'loose' rule of gardening would be to prune after flowering but ..... certain plants can vary !

Louise is right. I've always found that authors call the lighter work 'pruning' which can be done in spring/summer.

But the rest of us who actually garden find it pretty ineffective in describing what needs to be done in November. Gardeners call this autumnal prune as 'hacking back' - much more apt... It's one of the most enjoyable times in any gardeners' calender. It signals winter's approach. tidies up your garden and prepares your plants to do even better next summer. It's also the best time to move your plants.

I would agree with Nicky about the RHS book - it's invaluable, a real investment.

Worth checking out how and when to prune the plants you've got, definitely - there is a general rule of thumb that says, if it flowers before June, prune immediately after flowering; if it flowers after June, don't, but frankly, there are often exceptions. Work out what plants you've got (if you don't want to lay out for the RHS pruning book), then look up the cultural and pruning details for that plant, either online via the RHS, or in a book. Or maybe you could ask Sir Edmund Hilarious....