You have combination of shrubs intertwined with each other begonia. Both hosta and Andy look to be correct. A stout pair of gloves a pair of secateurs or shears will solve the problem or something electrically powered. Once they're cut back you can see what you're doing.
Thanks everyone- really appreciated- what a great help.
I thought there may be a honeysuckle there Hosta- it bloomed my first year here then the following year my very kind older neighbour pruned the heck out of the softer foliage on top and cut off most of the vines. It hasnt bloomed since. There seems to be some bind weed in there as well ( white floweres like morning glories).
How do I go ahead with pruning- hard prune it right down? It goes a good length along my front garden- where there is one bush sitting over the other like you say Dave.
How do I deal with the honeysuckle?
Andy I have no idea of what a hypericum is or what it looks like! Or a cotoneaster!
Whatever one of them is it is in my back garden as well tangled up with a jumble of massive ivy vines and some other things I will need help to identify.
Will take a look at cotoneaster and hypericum and then like you say Dave get working on how to tackle the thick branches? Sorry I am just learning about shrubs, hedges and bushes. I planted a single bare root dog rose a few weeks ago and have a little lavatera I have growing on from a plug plant.
Plus, I grew up in Canada and the US with alot of different plants- there are rhododendrons- not huge like here and for sure none that look like laurel!
How exciting! Its fun in some ways getting a neglected garden you have no idea what you may find and the challenges involved and the satisfaction of getting it all looking great.
You know your shrubs! Yes for sure this thing is a cotonester- rhs says its a spreading plant- that is putting it mildly! I think it is more of a small tree.
And yep Andy correct there is hypericum there as well. In fact I have this on the other side of my walkway growing on its own and it gets lovely yellow flowers.
Pruning that will be soon.
I think Philippa I will try to tackle it the slow and steady way though if I could get someone to get in there with something else I would.
I gather hard pruning is the way. RHS INFO- plant is low maintenance and will grow anywhere- well the Wilts county council got that right!
By the way- the same so called gardeners from T.H.Whites who identified my Laurel as a Rhododendron also identified the cotonester as box. Enough said.
Begonia to be honest I wouldn't be fussy with pruning that lot. All of it is almost indestructible. You can literally cut it all down to stumps and it'll all spring back into life. If you do at least you'll be able to see if there are any other hidden treasures underneath. You may discover a hidden world.
I agree with you- I just want to leave enough there to stop the little hoods around here from tossing candy wrappers and whatever into my front garden. As it is the first day after I pruned it down to what is in the photos some charming little gob hung a plastic bag on it. I guess I can get around this by beating them to it and hanging stuff all over it myself - the hanging bush !?
I am not suprised that the thickety thing is there but hey ho off to work I go. I will get back reports of any hidden dwarves along with photos. And thank you once again for the expert advice.
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You have combination of shrubs intertwined with each other begonia. Both hosta and Andy look to be correct. A stout pair of gloves a pair of secateurs or shears will solve the problem or something electrically powered. Once they're cut back you can see what you're doing.
Thanks everyone- really appreciated- what a great help.
I thought there may be a honeysuckle there Hosta- it bloomed my first year here then the following year my very kind older neighbour pruned the heck out of the softer foliage on top and cut off most of the vines. It hasnt bloomed since. There seems to be some bind weed in there as well ( white floweres like morning glories).
How do I go ahead with pruning- hard prune it right down? It goes a good length along my front garden- where there is one bush sitting over the other like you say Dave.
How do I deal with the honeysuckle?
Andy I have no idea of what a hypericum is or what it looks like! Or a cotoneaster!
Whatever one of them is it is in my back garden as well tangled up with a jumble of massive ivy vines and some other things I will need help to identify.
Will take a look at cotoneaster and hypericum and then like you say Dave get working on how to tackle the thick branches? Sorry I am just learning about shrubs, hedges and bushes. I planted a single bare root dog rose a few weeks ago and have a little lavatera I have growing on from a plug plant.
Plus, I grew up in Canada and the US with alot of different plants- there are rhododendrons- not huge like here and for sure none that look like laurel!
How exciting! Its fun in some ways getting a neglected garden you have no idea what you may find and the challenges involved and the satisfaction of getting it all looking great.
Hiya,
You know your shrubs! Yes for sure this thing is a cotonester- rhs says its a spreading plant- that is putting it mildly! I think it is more of a small tree.
And yep Andy correct there is hypericum there as well. In fact I have this on the other side of my walkway growing on its own and it gets lovely yellow flowers.
Pruning that will be soon.
I think Philippa I will try to tackle it the slow and steady way though if I could get someone to get in there with something else I would.
I gather hard pruning is the way. RHS INFO- plant is low maintenance and will grow anywhere- well the Wilts county council got that right!
By the way- the same so called gardeners from T.H.Whites who identified my Laurel as a Rhododendron also identified the cotonester as box. Enough said.
Begonia to be honest I wouldn't be fussy with pruning that lot. All of it is almost indestructible. You can literally cut it all down to stumps and it'll all spring back into life. If you do at least you'll be able to see if there are any other hidden treasures underneath. You may discover a hidden world.
Hi Dave,
I agree with you- I just want to leave enough there to stop the little hoods around here from tossing candy wrappers and whatever into my front garden. As it is the first day after I pruned it down to what is in the photos some charming little gob hung a plastic bag on it. I guess I can get around this by beating them to it and hanging stuff all over it myself - the hanging bush !?
I am not suprised that the thickety thing is there but hey ho off to work I go. I will get back reports of any hidden dwarves along with photos. And thank you once again for the expert advice.