I had a day off today and I went out to garden. Itchy finger I decided to prune. So I started and software programmer in me took over. I went delete delete delete... I think I deleted too much with no undo or backup option
Thought I'd add some pictures off my Long border throughout the year , this is the view of the garden while I sit at the computer looking through the window. Its a terribly dull wet rainy today and forecast to carry on till Thursday so no playing out, nice to look through old pictures on days like today.
19th May 2020
21st June
Can't miss out the Meconopsis ( Centre of picture above just in bud or left of the Ligularia )
28th July
Unfortunately I didn't take one from the same angle for some reason but these two will have to do . 6th September , had a lot of storms which has battered the heleniums and even pushed the Eupatorium right over. 20th September
I stopped taking pictures after 5th October , don't know why cause my Salvia had just got going
..nice packed borders @Perki ...plenty of interest throughout the summer... and a good lawn edge, I think it's important to get that right, it sets the whole thing off..
@Tack ...clever use of your Jap Anemones... you hardly notice the fence in that picture..
@edhelka ..yes there are 7 roses there, but only 3 are established, the others are fairly new.. let me see how it goes this Spring, whether I can squeeze another one in..
...is anyone else looking at their garden and thinking they have a whole ton of stuff to do, that they planned to get done long before now, but haven't?... well, you and me both..
Some bleak winter photos. Wind and drizzle outside, everything's soggy. New obelisk with La Belle Rouge and clematis Samaritan Jo. Starlet Melina staying evergreen and even growing a bud. The drive border. Penstemons staying evergreen and huge (I am not sure how much/if to cut them back in spring). Newly planted roses in the front, I still need to do the mulch and tidy the edge. Also 70 tulips in 4 groups close to the lavenders, not visible yet in the picture but just starting to grow. 9cm pots, parahebe 'Snow Clouds' still blooming.
@Mr. Vine Eye Thanks. The question is, does it apply to mild areas, where they stay evergreen, too? Is it really needed? I pruned penstemons before but they were an untidy mix of green and brown. Or otherwise said, is the pruning done for cosmetic reasons (not needed if they look good) or to force more branches and/or flowers (good to do every year everywhere)? All my gardening intuition screams against cutting a nice evergreen plant down to the ground. Would they become floppy or leggy if I let them do their thing?
@Marlorena, i have plenty to do. till Dec it was like there is whole winter to do and now feels like spring isn't far. When I went back to shed to put tools, I saw some spring bulbs I had totally forgotten about lol
Judging by all the new growth on mine, they would just become a big floppy, sprawling mess if I left them to it. So I'm definitley going to be cutting mine back.
I would expect it'll encourage them to stay more compact and upright. ✂️
@edhelka I read on a US website (presumably relating to milder areas) that penstemons don’t really need pruning for the sake of their health, but if you don’t they become woody and straggly with age. Pruning advice was as per Mr. Vine Eye’s. I lost all but one of my P. Raven in the (too hot) hot border and nothing much to prune there. I am hoping the new ones cope in the more moisture-retentive soil and less fierce sun in the east garden.
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
@edhelka, I always understood that penstemons flower better on new growth so have always cut mine down which doesn't seem to harm them. I've got quite a few clumps of the old favourite 'Garnet' which is a very good doer and very vigorous.
Posts
19th May 2020
21st June
Can't miss out the Meconopsis ( Centre of picture above just in bud or left of the Ligularia )
28th July
Unfortunately I didn't take one from the same angle for some reason but these two will have to do .
6th September , had a lot of storms which has battered the heleniums and even pushed the Eupatorium right over.
20th September
I stopped taking pictures after 5th October , don't know why cause my Salvia had just got going
...plenty of interest throughout the summer... and a good lawn edge, I think it's important to get that right, it sets the whole thing off..
@Tack
...clever use of your Jap Anemones... you hardly notice the fence in that picture..
@edhelka
..yes there are 7 roses there, but only 3 are established, the others are fairly new.. let me see how it goes this Spring, whether I can squeeze another one in..
...is anyone else looking at their garden and thinking they have a whole ton of stuff to do, that they planned to get done long before now, but haven't?... well, you and me both..
New obelisk with La Belle Rouge and clematis Samaritan Jo.
Starlet Melina staying evergreen and even growing a bud.
The drive border. Penstemons staying evergreen and huge (I am not sure how much/if to cut them back in spring).
Newly planted roses in the front, I still need to do the mulch and tidy the edge. Also 70 tulips in 4 groups close to the lavenders, not visible yet in the picture but just starting to grow.
9cm pots, parahebe 'Snow Clouds' still blooming.
Judging by all the new growth on mine, they would just become a big floppy, sprawling mess if I left them to it. So I'm definitley going to be cutting mine back.
I would expect it'll encourage them to stay more compact and upright. ✂️