Garden Spring Clean?

Milpool · March 2023

Hi!

I am new to this forum and new to having a garden, so please be kind…

I have basically neglected the garden during the autumn / winter and now that we enter spring I’m wondering if I should be clearing out any of the dead looking grass, leaves and detritus around my bushes and flowers?

Some pics attached.

Thanks in advance!

Fairygirl · March 2023

Hi @Milpool - you can certainly cut back the dead foliage in the first pic - it looks like crocosmia, or possibly the more invasive version, ie Montbretia. As it's encroaching on your grass, you might want to re do the edging there too, so that the grass doesn't die off too much.
Are the climbing stems in the last pic from annuals? I can't see them well enough to be able to tell. Same with the 2nd pic.
Anything completely dead can certainly get a tidy up, especially if new growth is coming through well, but it often depends on the type of plant as some old foliage can help with frost protection at this time of year.

Your buddleia [2nd pic] can get a prune back too during this month. They flower on the new stems they make

B3 · March 2023

Be very careful if you have clematis because they look like dead twigs this time of year - only they're not😊

Fairygirl · March 2023

Yes - that was my worry too @B3. I couldn't see the stems well enough, but the stuff hanging from those stems didn't look clematis like, apart from the one on the right in the last pic, which was a possibility

Obelixx · March 2023

I think you can definitely follow @Fairygirl's advice about tidying up the dead brown grassy stuff but just pull it away, don't dig it out or you'll lose whatever plant it comes from. Tidying up the lawn edges would make a huge difference to the look too.

If @B3 is right and that is a clematis in the 2nd pic you need to give it some support. The easiest and cheapest method is to screw vine eyes into your fence posts and 30cm intervals and then stretch wire between them. Using tensioners will help - all available at good DIY stores.

If you then wind another way between the horizontals in a zig-zag formation you will be able to train your new clematis growth very easily and as horizontally or diagonally as possible so you get more flowers. Give it a generous dollop of slow release clematis, rose or tomato feed too once you've ceared away any weeds. Keep it watered in prolonged dry spells.

The general rule for pruning shrubs is to prune after flowering if they flower in spring and in early spring if they flower later. You can certainly cut back that buddleia now but as there is no indication of what the other shrubs are I'd wait and see. I'd give them all a good dollop of rose or tomato feed (good for flowering and fruiting) and restrict any pruning now to removing just dead, diseased or damaged stems.

philippasmith2 · March 2023

Agree with @Fairygirl and @Obelixx about tidying up the obvious but don't go too mad - depending on your location, there is still some wintry weather to come

Milpool · March 2023

Wow - thanks for the rapid and helpful responses!

So from what I gather I should..

Pic 1)

Prune back the brown clumps (probably crocosmia) so that they aren’t encroaching on my lawn at least. Daft question, but should I cut them back with shears or pull them out?

Pic 2)

Give the buddleia a prune.
Clear out any dead foliage etc.
I think looking back at the photo below from September (and with some quick googling) those look like orange Clematis on either side of the Buddleia. So I should be careful not to remove it and probably give it some support to help it grow vertically/diagonally up the fence.

Pic 3)
Same as pic 2

And generally might be a good idea to wait a few weeks as still cold weather to come (I’m in Scotland after all). I think I’ve seen two blue skies in a row and got too excited

Thanks so much all above for your inputs!

JennyJ · March 2023

They're nasturtiums! Usually annuals but they might have set some seed so keep your eyes open for seedlings appearing when it gets warmer.

Fairygirl · March 2023

It's nasturtiums beside your buddleia. They're annuals, so they can be pulled out. They may have self seeded if you didn't dead head them, so you may get some new plants if they've overwintered.
The crocosmia often pulls out, but you can cut back with whatever you like to use.

Yes - those nice blue skies have been very welcome @Milpool. Minus 6 here where I am last night, and a tiny sprinkle of snow, but so much nicer than the rain. Lovely

clematisdorset · March 2023

Hello @Milpool I just wanted to say what a lovely garden you have! I don't have any tips, just to say that the raised brick borders you have are exactly what I would like to build in my garden on a bit of a slope, but as I have never built anything before, this will be a big headache for me. I can just imagine how nice it will be in your garden in the summer, sitting on or around those raised borders! Envy!

Milpool · March 2023

JennyJ said:

They're nasturtiums! Usually annuals but they might have set some seed so keep your eyes open for seedlings appearing when it gets warmer.

Haha - thanks for the correction - can see that’s obvious now! 😅

Garden Spring Clean?

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