Overwintering borders...

Janie B · November 2023

Just looking at my borders, and I usually leave most of the herbaceous perennials to do their own thing until I cut them back in Spring, believing that it's better for wildlife, and that it offers protection from the cold over the winter. I, however, always cut the peonies back (not sure why? Should I?). Are there any perennials I should definitely cut back, or will they all appreciate being left as they are until spring? Thanks

Busy-Lizzie · November 2023

I cut my peonies back too. I cut back the earlier flowering perennials when they go soggy, or ugly or fall over. I leave later flowering ones, like rudbeckias, as they have seed heads for the birds and cover for small wildlife and the stiff upright stems hold them up. I never cut down more tender plants like penstemon or salvias until spring.

borgadr · November 2023

Cut back (or at least deadhead) anything you don't want to set seed. For example if I leave my verbena bonariensis over winter I end up with thousands of seedlings to weed out in spring (which is a shame because the birds like the seeds)

JennyJ · November 2023

I'm in the @Busy-Lizzie school of cutting back - I leave anything that's on the tender side (except for maybe a light haircut if it's catching the wind too much), leave anything that's still standing up and looking OK, such as good seed heads or structure, and take out anything that's fallen/blown over or collapsed in a soggy heap.

Songbird-2 · November 2023

Our penstemon is still flowering so will be definitely be left over winter. I'm in the @Busy-Lizzie school too. Even the Verbena Bonariensis is staying put this year.

floralies · November 2023

The same here, I leave everything 'till spring unless it's very soggy or falling over. I'm watching the Chiffchaffs flitting about in the borders as I type.

Butterfly66 · November 2023

Same here I leave everything as is unless it’s smothering and stopping us enjoying something coming through (such as snowdrops) but I don’t do that until the bulbs are actually coming through. It’s surprising how much has naturally disappeared by the time it’s March again.

it’s a joy watching the birds enjoy the seeds. Evening Primrose and Verbena bonariensis are very popular here with our Goldfinches and Tits.

Fairygirl · November 2023

Once a stem has done it's job for a plant, it's then redundant, so I remove it. I'd only leave them if they were woodier, and could help to protect the crown of a plant. Any soft and sappy foliage/stems that might drop, and sit there creating a soggy mass, could be problematic, so that would be different. Any plant less than bone hardy, would be potted or lifted and put under cover for winter to avoid that too. It always depends on the plant and your conditions.

Anything that has seedheads tends to get left, but a lot of seed just rots here before it's propery viable for reproduction , or for birds, so it's always a case of checking, and then making a decision as to whether it can be left or removed. That's often determined by where it is, and therefore aesthetics, so it's always down to preference.
Anything that could be invasive, and might therefore affect other plants, would be deadheaded.

GardenerSuze · November 2023

I think it is vital to leave those plants that 'die well' over the winter homes for wildlife.
As gardeners it is an opportunity if you get it right to continue to enjoy your garden well into winter. My old garden was always planted with the winter months in mind. The other seasons then fall into place.

Overwintering borders...

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