There are key times of the year to prune, and when your spring plants have flowered and gone over, now’s the time to give them a spruce-up.
‘June is the perfect time to give spring-flowering shrubs a tidy; it helps them stay in shape and flower well again next year,’ says Julian Palphramand, head of plants at British Garden Centres.
So, which are the key varieties to prune? We take a look below, with the help of our gardening experts.
1. Clematis
Clematis is a great variety to grow and is a firm favourite with its beautiful flowers that are in bloom right now.
It can depend on what type it is, as to whether you prune your clematis now or not. Lucie Bradley, gardening and greenhouse expert at Easy Garden Irrigation, explains, ‘If you grow clematis, you will find that they fall into three main pruning groups, and it’s only those in groups 1 or 2 which you should prune in June.
Group 1 clematis are the early flowering varieties and include ‘Amandii’ and ‘Montana’. These types of clematis flower on old wood (so the growth produced in the previous summer), which means you should prune them immediately after they finish flowering. Group 2 clematis are later flowering than group 1, with them usually producing their most blooms in May and June. Varieties which fall into this group include ‘Nelly Moser’. ‘The President’ and ‘Duchess of Edinburgh’.’
What’s great about the second group is that you can encourage further flowering if you prune after they’ve bloomed now.
If you like the idea of trying some of these varieties, then have a look at the Montana variety – it’s quick-growing, and you can buy ‘Mayleen’ from Thompson & Morgan for £12.99 for 1 x 7cm pot. From the second group, we love Nelly Moser, £14.97 for a 2-litre pot, Gardening Express.
2. Wisteria
Everyone’s favourite – wisteria is the pinnacle of spring-blooming varieties that we adore. Its short flowering period of two to three weeks means we have to enjoy it while we can.
‘Wisteria, in particular, benefits from a summer prune,’ says Julian. ‘Look for the long, green shoots that have grown this year and cut them back to around five or six leaves from the main woody framework.’
If you’re looking to buy a wisteria, we love the Blue Sapphire variety, £42.99 for a three-litre pot, Crocus. It will flower around May with lilac-blue flowers. If you prefer pink flowers, then consider Rosea, £29.99 for a 1.7-litre pot from Thompson & Morgan.
3. Lilac
Lilac is a beautifully scented variety that heralds spring, and it’s definitely worth considering if you don’t have it already.
‘Whether you are growing a lilac in your garden as a shrub or a small tree, it’s important that you prune this woody, deciduous plant immediately after it finishes flowering, which usually is between May and June,’ advises Lucie. ‘If you wait and prune your lilac later in the year, then you will likely be cutting away any new growth and lilac flowers on new growth the following year.’
If you wait, then you risk the plant expending energy into producing seeds instead of new shoots.
There are quite a few colours of lilac available – the classic violet that we all know and love, white, pink, magenta and blue.
Palibin has a mauve pink colour, from £21.99 at Thompson & Morgan. It has a lovely fragrance and is perfect for a cottage garden. B&Q have the classic lilac shade in its President Grevy variety, from £16.99 for two.
4. Mock orange
If you love a citrusy orange scent, then a mock orange is for you. It blooms in early summer and is a highly prized variety to have growing in your garden.
Once the cup-shaped white flowers have bloomed, it’s time to give it a once-over.
Julian agrees, ‘Cut back the stems that have just flowered to a strong pair of buds lower down, then, if needed, remove one or two of the oldest stems at the base to keep the plant open and healthy.’
If you’d love to have one of these beauties in your garden, then we like the Philadelphus ‘Virginal’ variety from Crocus, £24.99 for a two-litre pot. Plant in your border for a lovely display. Gardening Express have Philadelphus Lemoinei, which has a more yellow centre, £17.99 for a three-litre pot.
5. Viburnum
‘June is the perfect time to prune spring-flowering viburnums – a flowering shrub – such as Viburnum burkwoodii, as these varieties set their buds on the previous season’s growth,’ advises Lucie.
You can buy the Burkwoodii variety from Crocus, £29.99 for a two-litre pot. It flowers in April and May, so it is an early bloomer.
‘By pruning them just after they finish flowering, you are stimulating new growth, which then has time to mature, and the shrub can set healthy buds ready for next year’s display. If you were to wait and prune later in the year, you run the risk of pruning away next year’s blooms,’ shares Lucie.
Another early variety is Viburnum tinus; J. Parkers sells a one-litre pot for £5.99. It has white flowers and loves sunny and partially shaded spots.
Shopping essentials for a good prune
Spear & Jackson 7159BS Razorsharp Advantage Bypass Secateurs
When you need to be more accurate with your pruning, secateurs are the tool to use. This razor-sharp design has a bypass action which minimises stem bruising on green stems.
McGregor Garden Hand Shears
Sometimes secateurs don’t cut it if the stems are woody. Garden shears give you that extra bit of oomph to help with those trickier stems. These have a steel blade, comfy soft grip handles and a two-year guarantee.
Fiskars Carbon Steel Two-Handed Loppers
For more established branches, a tougher approach is needed; this is where loppers come in. This pair are a good size, lightweight and strong with an upper blade made from hardened carbon steel.
Pruning gives you a chance to check over your plants for disease, so it’s an important part of their care. You can also check that there aren’t any damaged branches or those crossing over. It’s all about preventative nurturing to help them grow the best they can.
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