What to do this month...
Some summer-flowering shrubs need cutting back now. Just follow our guide
Although woody and perennial stems are useful for winter structure, there comes a time in early spring when old stems need clearing away to make space for spring bulbs and new growth to emerge. Many summer-flowering shrubs also need a cut back now to help them perform at their best.
1 Prune shrubs that flower after midsummer. This includes spiraea, fuchsia and elderflower, but don’t touch spring-flowering shrubs yet because you’ll cut off their blossom buds.
2 Cut back all shrubs that put out long, whippy stems. Buddleja is a good example, which might develop an ugly dog-leg shape if left unpruned.
3 Prune hard. Cut the shrub down to a few stems at the base, to control their size and also to encourage an arching spray of long and attractive stems.
4 Trim to a bud. Make a clean cut just above abud or pair of buds in order to promote branching.
5 Leave colourful woody stems until next month or April. The bare stems of cornus and salix look great with spring bulbs.
6 Cut back old herbaceous stems. Trim close to the base for neatness but avoid cutting into any new growth.
LAVENDER
Trim back the old flower stalks to the main woody structure. Do this before the new growth starts.
BUDDLEJA
You need to prune the long stems back to a low framework, which is about 30cm from ground level.
SEDUMS
Cut the brown stems down to ground level but be sure to leave the rosettes of new foliage intact.
ORNAMENTAL GRASSES
Cut deciduous grasses down to the ground before new growth starts to shoot.
FUCHSIA
The technique here is to prune back the old stems to a pair of buds a few inches above soil level.
SAMBUCUS
On bushes that are older than three years, reduce the stems back to form a low and branching framework.
Prune clematis for summer flowers
Clematis can be divided into three different pruning groups, depending on when they flower and the age of their flowering stems.
These plants don’t need pruning right now because they’re in bud or in flower, but groups 2and 3do require some attention to stop them becoming a tangled bird’s nest of woody stems, with bare bottoms and flowers blooming too high up.
These require only a light prune. Work down from stem tops to find a healthy pair of buds around 90-120cm or so from the ground, then remove all dead or spindly growth above them. This group includes ‘Nelly Moser’ (below), ‘Royal Velvet’, ‘Perle d’Azur’ and ‘The President’.
These flower from mid to late summer and can be pruned back harder to the lowest pair of buds about 30-60
