ensuring the maximum amount of flowering wood is produced.

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1 PRUNING GUIDE PRUNING Many shrubs benefit from annual pruning which is aimed at:- keeping plants healthy and vigorous, maintaining the shape and balance, ensuring the maximum amount of flowering wood is produced. Pruning codes:- SHRUBS & CLIMBERS A This applies mainly to evergreens. No pruning is required apart from light shaping and the removal of dead or diseased wood damaged by frost. This can be done as soon as it is noticed. Shaping is best done in the late spring or in August, but no later otherwise young growth will not ripen before winter. B This group flowers in spring on old wood produced from the previous season so prune after flowering. Remove all wood which has borne flowers, retaining much of the young wood which will ripen later and produce flowers. C on This group flowers in early summer on both old and young wood so prune after flowering. Each year remove completely one or two old stems, easily identified by their greyish bark from the brown barked young wood, also cut back young flowering shoots to fresh growths the main branches. Thin crowded shoots and remove weak twigs. D This group flowers in summer or autumn on wood produced in the current season. In early spring cut back to within two or three buds of the old wood. Also in this group are shrubs grown for the winter interest of coloured stems. The best colour is on the young wood, so these should be hard pruned in spring every year or every second year.

2 E This group flower on laterals in summer. Prune in spring by removing weak twiggy growths that have flowered. Shorten by half strong, young shoots from the base. Occasional removal of old wood to the base will encourage young shoots. F trees. This group flower on 2 year old wood and older. Spurs are produced as with most fruit Train young shoots to required shape, tip leaders. Summer prune July/August current season lateral growths to 3-4 buds again in February if required. Cl 1 Clematis which produce their flowers on short flower stalks directly from a leafy axil bud, generally on stems produced the previous season which ripened by the early autumn. Therefore pruning must not be carried out until all flowering is over. In the early spring of the second year after planting, cut back all stems to 1 metre from ground level. In subsequent years remove all dead and weak stems immediately after flowering. Established plants 5 metres or more in height are not normally pruned. Cl 2 Flower on the old or previous season s stems. In the second early spring after planting cut back to within 1 metre of ground level. In subsequent years remove all dead and weak stems and shorten remainder by cms to where a strong pair of leaf axil buds are apparent. Remove all old leaf stalks. Cl 3 Flower on new stems each year, and in most cases each stem produces several flowers. The previous season s top growth becomes useless and dies away naturally each winter (except if very mild). Therefore all previous season s top growth must be removed to allow the current season s stems room to grow to maturity. Prune late Feb/early March depending on weather conditions. Remove all old top growth down to where the strong new leaf axil buds appear at a point just above the base of the previous season s stems, approximately within 75cm of soil level.

3 ROSES BR In March prune all newly planted bushes to within 15cm. of the union, cutting to an outward pointing bud. In subsequent seasons (March/early April), remove dead of diseased or weak shoots entirely. Large flowered (Hybrid Tea) roses are best shortened to three - five eyes from the base of the previous season s wood. As before, cuts should be made to an outward pointing eye to encourage a shapely habit. Very vigorous roses such as Peace should be pruned lightly. Cluster Flowered (Floribunda) roses need dead, diseased and weak shoots removed entirely in March/early April. Otherwise lighter pruning is adequate, together with regular dead-heading in summer. In the third and subsequent years all old wood should be pruned hard in March/early April. CR First year - the strong shoots will have been pruned in the nursery. Cut back any weak shoots to 2-3 eyes from their base. Subsequently prune back shoots which have flowered to 4No eyes in Autumn or Spring, also prune out old or very weak shoots and tie in new growths. Horizontally trained shoots produce more sub-laterals and therefore more flowers than shoots growing upright. SR Shrub Roses require regular dead heading throughout the flowering period. September to November - tip back extra long growths to minimise wind rock damage. February to March - Cut back long new basal growths by up to one third. Cut back laterals on flowered shoots to 2 or 3 buds. Cut to base any crossing or inward growing basal shoots. Remove twiggy thin growths that flower sparsely. Third and subsequent years - as above, plus removal of one or two old shoots to the base. Mulch and feed well.

4 HR Hybrid Musk Roses - Remove flowering twigs as soon as flowers fade; cut back in February to three buds all short side shoots, also any old or diseased wood. To keep the bushes shapely up to a third of long basal shoots which have flowered the previous autumn can be removed. Left unpruned bushes make dense growth. RR Rambling Roses which are to be pruned immediately after flowering. Remove dead, diseased or old wood. Tie in shoots of one or two years growth. In March, cut newly planted roses to within 5 or 6 eyes from the base. HERBACEOUS PERENNIALS & SUB SHRUBS H Cut back dead growth to basal crown in late winter/early spring as new growth appears. Cut back flowering wood after first flush in June/July to encourage second flowering in Sept/Oct or dead heading of flower species, e.g.: Scabiosa, Anthemis, Paeonia. I Spring Flowering, cut old flowering wood to base after flowering. Leave young basal shoots. e.g.: Helleborus, Euphorbia, Iris. J No pruning required. Mainly evergreens, e.g.: Bergenia. Remove flower stalks immediately after flowering. K Trim to shape after flowering, removing two thirds of flowering wood. Avoid cutting into old woody stems.- Erica, Lavender, Aubretia. V These should be pruned in early winter. Once allotted area has been covered, prune laterals hard back to two or three eyes from their base and weak, straggling shoots to one bud. Sturdy shoots needed for extension reduce by one third Sept/Oct. e.g.:- Vitis. WISTERIA

5 W Wisteria - the current years lateral growths should be shortened back to about 15cms towards the end of July or early August, then to two buds in Dec/Jan. To form a framework at first tie in the main growths 25cms apart, but be prepared to thin these out if necessary. Left un-pruned plants develop into a thick tangle of intertwining stems which do not flower. NEW PLANTING: AFTER-CARE & ADVICE WATERING VERY IMPORTANT (Spring /Summer) Ideally use a hose pipe (not a sprinkler) and aim water directly onto soil around plant stem/roots for several minutes, this will ensure water soaks in deeply and will encourage good root establishment. In warm weather, ensure you start watering as soon as planting is carried out Water either early morning or late afternoon for 2 3 weeks in spring/summer until plants are established. When temperatures drop below 6ºC watering is not so important but look for signs of the plants/trees wilting and water as required. Even on days where it may rain, there may not be enough water to penetrate the soil, so watering by hand is still necessary. If unsure, move top layer of soil away from base of plant to check if soil around rootball is either dry, moist or waterlogged and treat accordingly. NEW TURF: AFTER-CARE & ADVICE WATERING VERY IMPORTANT (March to October) Ideally use a sprinkler and soak one area thoroughly before moving onto next. In warm weather, ensure you start watering as soon as turf is laid. Water twice a day, early morning and late afternoon for 2 weeks. Make sure you have covered every turf, the water will not spread. Lift one corner of a turf to ensure turf is moist all the way through and soil underneath is moist When temperatures drop below 6ºC watering is not so important but look for signs of the turf drying out and water as required. Do not walk on the turf after you have watered it. (N.B. Avoid walking on newly laid turf for at least 3 weeks).

6 MOWING Start mowing your lawn after 2-3 weeks of being laid. Use mower on a high setting to start with and then mow again a few days later to reduce the height. Repeat mowing once a week from Spring to Autumn. Use a mower with a grass collector. Make sure your blade is regularly sharpened. WEED AND FEED Make sure the turf is fertilized at least twice a year (Spring/Autumn). Moss can be treated with lawn sand; spring treatment will give best results. COMMON TURF CONDITIONS pests and diseases The appearance of toadstools/mushrooms on new turf isn t unusual and can appear when weather is warm/humid, they usually disappear after a few weeks when weather conditions change and are unlikely to re-occur. Other possible pests and disease as follows :- ~ Red Thread ~ Dollar Spot ~ Snow Mould ~ Fusarium ~Leather Jackets ~ Chafer Grubs ~ Dogs (scorch marks) ~ Rust LOOKING AFTER BOX TOPIARY AND HEDGES Food Feeding your box plant is essential for healthy growth when it is kept in a container, and something you may wish to do, but is not strictly necessary, if your topiary is planted in the ground. Slow or controlled release fertilizer granules are the most convenient method of feeding, as they only need be applied infrequently. They should be placed in a hole in the top of the compost, or added with a top dressing of fresh compost. The frequency of application depends on the life of the granules, which varies from about 3 to 15 months. Otherwise ordinary fertilizer granules or liquid feed can be used as required during the growing season. If a box plant is short of nutrients, it will only grow very slowly. The leaves will tend to become coppery brown, or will develop cream or yellow tips and margins. Once good growing conditions are restored, the leaves will become uniform green again within a few weeks. Water

7 Most topiary plants will have been grown in the open ground, and then lifted with a root-ball of soil attached to the roots and placed in a container a relatively short time before being sold. So, the plant will have lost a significant proportion of its roots, and will be susceptible to drying out for at least a year or two after planting. It is especially important to water large topiary plants in sunny and/or windy sites and during hot summer weather during the first year or two after planting. Once the plants have become established in their new site, they will require far less watering, and after a few years they should be able to withstand any UK drought easily. Do not water directly onto foliage as this may encourage the fungal disease Box blight. Trimming Box naturally grows between about the months of April and June inclusive. Early July is a good time to trim the new growth usually when the young growth has hardened up. The new growth can be cut easily with scissors or shears. If the plant is in a container, then placing the container on a surface such as a table top, where it can be rotated, can make accurate trimming relatively easy. To discourage the fungal disease Box blight, trim prior to 5-8 days of fine weather if possible. Do not trim when the foliage is wet. Avoid trimming in hot sunlight as this will scorch newly cut leaves Please contact us if you require further advise on pruning. Telephone/Fax: