Prune informal hedges (optional)

This is optional, and not strictly needed at all.

Most formal hedges require regular pruning, and so flowers and fruits don't develop. However, informal hedges can be pruned selectively to allow a flowering and fruiting display. Those plants that flower on the current season's growth (e.g fuchsia) can be pruned just once in spring, cut back to healthy buds at the base of the plants.