By Bikeydude
County Durham,
United Kingdom 
Bindweed has caused havoc with this bush which is planted in a shady corner of the garden. Having removed it all, I found that the plant was left looking bare and spindly. Can I create bushy growth by pruning? The bush is know as Maiden's bush, don't know the botanical name, it gets lovely white flowers April May time and then develops black cherry like fruit.
17 Aug, 2011
Answers
could the bush be viburnum carlesh round bush with fragrent round heads of flower, this will give berry like fruits jet-black
17 Aug, 2011
Whatever the bush is, if it flowers in Spring, it should have been pruned after the flowers finished then - pruning now means you'll get no flowers next year, and hard pruning may force new, sappy growth which won't harden off sufficiently before winter arrives. I thought it might be Spiraea, the Bridal Wreath one, but that doesn't have berries as far as I know, so not sure what you've got. Keep it clear of further bindweed growth and prune it after flowering next year - and keep the bindweed off it - this usually gets going strongly by end of May, so start tearing it off from then onwards.
17 Aug, 2011