SPRING CHORES - PRUNING AND TRIMMING

Spring has arrived today.  Of course, it could always leave today as well.  So, I've taken advantage of it and I know I shall be stiff as a board this evening.  That's the problem when a really good day arrives, so much to do before it starts raining again.  My garden, which is often so lovely in summer, looks a mess over the winter.  That's because I refuse to garden in the freezing cold, and wind, and rain, when there are books to read, movies to watch, cat-napping with my Ragdoll cat, Alfie, enjoying the warmth of my home.  I began by digging out two roses.  I think the roots went down to Australia!  It was a killer getting them out.   I'm was sick of them getting blackspot and what have you, and sticking me with their thorns.  There are plenty other plants to enjoy that are less ruthless, and I've still got the climbing roses Wild Eve, Generous Gardener, and New Dawn adorning my fences.  I pruned the climbing roses a little in autumn and today just trimmed away any dead bits.  I have hopes for a lovely display. 



Wild Eve

The white jasmine officinale and jasmine Clotted Cream are looking healthy (I pruned them last September) although they have yet to burst into bud, and the clematis which I planted last year are showing signs of life, which is always a relief. 



I was amazed that the lovely Penstemons overwintered so well.  I know it's a bit pathetic to admit, but I'm thrilled.  They are so lovely and so attractive to pollinators.  I thought they were supposed to be rather tender where I live, high on the Pennine Mountains, nearly 900ft above sea level and I was bracing myself for their loss.  They have, however, survived through frost, snow, and gales, with masses of lush green with leaves on talls stems which have showed no sign of rotting or decay.  I left them lush and green.  While some say that you should tidy your garden before winter to give the slugs no place to hide from the birds, I find that leaving growth on perennials, especially more tender ones, keeps the roots warm, like a mulch.  It also gives other critters a place to hide.  Anyway, that's my view.  I've cleared away much of the twiggy growth, which I've left in piles for the birds to use for nesting and I have no doubt that the birds will do a bit of slug and bug clearing without my having to make any effort at all.  I've fed the birds so much this winter, it is time they earned their keep.





Penstemon - 'Purple Passion' and a bee!

Even so, despite the penstemons surviving, it looks like I've had casualties.  It's hard to tell.  Sometimes perennials die right back below ground level and then push up new growth from nowhere.  Two of my campanulas, 'Medium White' and Persifolia Alba have disappeared.  They lasted for so many weeks last summer that they probably died of exhaustion.  I can only hope that they will come back again.  Others too seem to have disappeared. Oh well, that's gardening.  You have to grow what grows!





Campanula 'Medium White' - Canterbury Bells

I put up some plastic trellis behind one of the clematis and more trellis behind the loganberry.  The loganberry was pathetic last year and not great the year before, so if it doesn't buck up and give me some decent fruit this year, it will be going the same way as the roses. 

I've been very disappointed with the summer fruiting raspberries which I planted last year.  What a load of rubbish.  Out of 12 plants, three have survived, and only just.  It is as if they could not tolerate the winter weather but raspberries are supposed to be quite hardy; they grow them well in Scotland.  Polka, the 'wonder' raspberry that I have been growing for years, is full of buds and raring to go.  I love Polka.