Dogwood left wild

I have taken 3 bushes called Cornus Alba Sibrica (Dogwood)which are 4 ft high and straggly. On the internet it says it should be pruned 6in from bopttom in March. As its central stem is thich do I cut that to 6in or just the branches. What would you do. What would one look like if I left it to grow unpruned? TA Jean

 

Hi compost maker. To get the nice red stems it should be pruned every year to perhaps 1ft high. If left unpruned eventually the red stems become brown and woody. It can all be cut down without any harm as it will grow back very quickly.
You can, however, coppice it by cutting the thick main stem to about 3 or 4 ft high and the new stems coming from the top will be red. This is useful for underplanting with smaller shrubs or perennials.
Good luck

 

Speaking of Cornus, does anyone have the Cornus Kousa?
Here's a link to the RHS site with some bumf about it. It looks lovely!

http://www.rhs.org.uk/WhatsOn/gardens/rosemoor/archive/rosemoorpomjun.asp
When I'm allowed access to the dosh again I think I'll buy a couple of those for the back of a border.

 

I have a Cornus Kousa which bares the fruit. Planted it in around 4 or 5 weeks ago. Just starting to get some sun at last in it's position. All bare branches at the moment but hopefully this eventually will be tall enough to blot out the windows opposite that look into our garden.