Mahonia are very easy to manage. Our neighbour has one that's kept to about 6 foot and she just reduces the size in spring and it regrow back over the summer.Â
I keep our mahonias trimmed. It's a plant I both love and hate in the garden. The winter flowers are great for birds and bees, and the berries are loved by the blackbirds. It does have the sharpest leaves though and it can make weeding painful when they're hidden in the leaf litter. I'm never sure when to prune them for maximum wildlife benefit though. It always seems late in the year to prune after the berries have been eaten.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
M. Winter Sun might be the other one if it's big. I have that one. They're quite similar though. There's a small one too, but I can't remember what it's called. Mine starts flowering in November usually. The blue tits love getting in among the flowers. We were talking about it the other day on the forum. They seem to be getting nectar from it. I've never seen bees/wasps on it, but perhaps it's still far too early here, despite the weird weather in the last year. I hacked mine back last year @wild edges, as I needed to access an area behind it. During summer I think, but it might have been a bit earlier.Â
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Posts
There's a small one too, but I can't remember what it's called.Â
Mine starts flowering in November usually. The blue tits love getting in among the flowers. We were talking about it the other day on the forum. They seem to be getting nectar from it.Â
I've never seen bees/wasps on it, but perhaps it's still far too early here, despite the weird weather in the last year.
I hacked mine back last year @wild edges, as I needed to access an area behind it. During summer I think, but it might have been a bit earlier.Â
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...