I am in the midlands countryside which could get pretty snowy in the winter but never lower than -10C. I hacked it back to about a foot off the ground two years ago and it has come back with a vengeance.
The second one is most likely pyracantha, although I haven’t noticed berries on it. Similarly it has been hacked back a few years back to nothing (to render the wall) but came back anyway. I shall reward it with a trellis this time as it deserves a bit of love after all that undue punishment.
@Cecelia-L That is really interesting to learn about your carpenteria. I have only ever seen photos in a book certainly a plant to look out for. Perhaps hacking back your pyracantha is the reason for no berries. Looks like you will have lots this year judging by the amount of flowers.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
@Cecelia-L , Carpenteria californica is usually reckoned to be a tender shrub and I wouldn't like to rely on the statement that they can withstand temps down to -10 (the clue's in the name!). Here in the southwest we're generally reckoned to be milder than the Midlands. Back in early May we had a week of mild overnight frosts, possibly -3 ish and my CC got trashed, leaves were blackened and dried so I had to remove the lot. I always used to fleece it until it got too big and as it's now about 10 years old, it has to stand its chances. It can grow to about 10ft x 6ft and is a rather ungainly, sprawly plant but the flowers are to die for. It was the most admired and talked about plant in my garden when we used to open for the NGS. The flowers on mine are about to open and I can't wait. Hope you enjoy yours.
I must have been extremely lucky so far as I haven’t done a thing for it other than hacking it back years ago! It was in a sorry state with just a handful of flowers. My initial research back then did flag up carpenteria californica but it sounded so unlikely even to me I dismissed it entirely.
Thanks! @Lizzie27 So glad I found a treasure in this once abandoned garden!
Posts
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Here in the southwest we're generally reckoned to be milder than the Midlands. Back in early May we had a week of mild overnight frosts, possibly -3 ish and my CC got trashed, leaves were blackened and dried so I had to remove the lot. I always used to fleece it until it got too big and as it's now about 10 years old, it has to stand its chances. It can grow to about 10ft x 6ft and is a rather ungainly, sprawly plant but the flowers are to die for. It was the most admired and talked about plant in my garden when we used to open for the NGS. The flowers on mine are about to open and I can't wait.
Hope you enjoy yours.