Amanda Broughton Garden Design

Shrubs and Climbers

• Prune winter flowering shrubs that have finished flowering such as Sarcoccoca.

• You can also prune many deciduous summer flowering shrubs at this time of year as they flower on the current years growth. These include Buddleja, which can be cut heavily to almost the ground. Don’t be scared to do this. They will look all the better for the attention, producing lush new growth and flowers at a height you can enjoy. Other shrubs that will benefit from pruning now are Leycesteria, hardy Fuchsia, Perovskia and Ceratostigma

• Shrubs grown for their colourful winter stems such as Cornus and Salix should have about a third of their oldest stems removed annually. Cut right back to the base or main framework. This prevents the plant from getting too tall, and encourages the re-growth of those beautiful stems.

• Prune hardy evergreen hedges such as cherry laurels, yews and conifers. Deciduous hedges such as beech and hornbeam, and native hedges can also be cut back before growth begins.

• Prune Wisteria and Campsis back to two or three buds.

• Cut back summer flowering clematis (group 3) such as the viticella, to the lowest pair of buds, feed them with a slow release fertiliser, and give them a thick mulch.

• Feed and mulch after pruning.

• This is a good time to plant trees, shrubs, bare rooted hedges and roses and to move any deciduous trees and shrubs. However, this should not be carried out if the ground is water-logged or frozen.

Perennials

• Cut back all herbaceous perennials, including grasses that have been left for winter interest. It is important that this is carried out before new growth begins in spring.

• Remove all dead and damaged leaves of evergreen perennials such as Bergenia.

• Feed all perennials with a slow release fertilizer such as fish, blood and bone.

Grasses

• Cut back all deciduous grasses which were left for interest throughout the winter months such as Miscanthus, Calamagrostis and Pannicum.

• Feed with a slow release fertilizer.