I don't recommend you prune it at all at this end of the year, it's too late, we're too close to the onset of winter. If you want to prune and reshape it, do it in Spring next year. You may lose flowers for a while if you do, but if you prune now, you may lose the plant over winter.

I think right now is the optimum time, it is also the best time for taking cuttings, I use the non flowering side shoots for this.

I have just cut off my spent flowering stems and also split the clump to make some new plants and everything has been fine.

Inverglen, phlomis is a shrub and as such can't be split - are you saying you split yours?

Phlomis russeliana is my plant. Did I get my wires crossed and the question was about the shrubby phlomis?

Ah, that explains it - well we don't really know which of us has crossed wires, do we Inverglen, Newby hasn't said which variety, and I assumed Phlomis fruticosa, the shrub, rather than the perennial varieties.

thanx peeps ive given it a good trim anyway its plenty big i think it'll survive