The Well Tended Perennial Garden by Tracey DiSabato-Aust
Lots of good stuff in there about planning with and planting perennials but also about when and how to prune / dead-leaf perennials - which a lot of other books don't always cover sufficiently.
For example she tells you which perennials you can just take the garden shears to and quickly cut back to the ground to encourage a spurt of regrowth - rather than painstakingly deadheading each stem.
She also specifically deals with which plants respond well to the Chelsea Chop and she talks a lot about about dead-leafing. Most people know the value of dead-heading but many beginner gardeners don't realise how dead leafing can also improve the look and vitality of a plant.
Can thoroughly recommend it and you'd probably pick up a second hand copy very cheaply.🙂
Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
I would wait until the mother plant has finished flowering at the end of the season then cut back the main plant leaving about 12 ins of old growth to protect the crown of the main plant during the winter. In Spring, when further new growth appears, remove last years stems and any dead leaves.
Thank you Topbird that sounds like an amazing book, a gold mine of info, I will get it. I like the sound of how it tells you the reasons behind what you are doing, that's just what I need to know, then I can apply it in other situations I come across.
Thank you Joyce Goldenlily, I'm thinking this would be the salvia. I'm learning so much, and especially how it is important for the plant to have protection over the winter.
@Pink678 A favourite book of mine is The Winter Garden by Val Bourne. I was lucky enough to meet her some years ago, she totally changed my thoughts on how to enjoy your garden in winter. Dream Plants for the Natural Garden by Piet Oudolf and Henk Gerritsen also has a section on seed heads in the winter months. Both books have been in my local library so worth a look.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
@Topbird I am always interested in a good gardening book so thanks. Hope your garden has had some rain now still dry here except for an overnight shower.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
@GardenerSuze - hardly any rain until the last week when we had a couple of showers but it's been a lot cooler which puts less stress on things. The grass has hardly grown since April but at least the autumnal dews have turned it green again!
The borders are still very dry and all the beech hedges (there are many including the one around our garden) are looking particularly bad. Fingers crossed for a wet autumn and winter for both of us.
You mentioned Val Bourne. I like her writing very much.
Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
Thank you for your suggestions GardenerSuze. I will look them both up, the titles alone sound intriguing and right up my street. The Winter Garden by Val Bourne, and Dream Plants for the Natural Garden by Piet Oudolf and Henk
Gerritsen. Noted! I love the idea of a winter garden, and natural gardens too. As well, I feel my garden is the actual home of all kinds of creatures and I want to make it good for them too.
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The Well Tended Perennial Garden by Tracey DiSabato-Aust
Lots of good stuff in there about planning with and planting perennials but also about when and how to prune / dead-leaf perennials - which a lot of other books don't always cover sufficiently.
For example she tells you which perennials you can just take the garden shears to and quickly cut back to the ground to encourage a spurt of regrowth - rather than painstakingly deadheading each stem.
She also specifically deals with which plants respond well to the Chelsea Chop and she talks a lot about about dead-leafing. Most people know the value of dead-heading but many beginner gardeners don't realise how dead leafing can also improve the look and vitality of a plant.
Can thoroughly recommend it and you'd probably pick up a second hand copy very cheaply.🙂
The borders are still very dry and all the beech hedges (there are many including the one around our garden) are looking particularly bad. Fingers crossed for a wet autumn and winter for both of us.
You mentioned Val Bourne. I like her writing very much.
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