Six On Saturday: Cutting back

/ n20gardener

I had a mad gardening day yesterday. I was suddenly enthused and set about cutting back the shabbiness of summer. I had to get a hold of the alchemilla mollis before it seeded everywhere. I was probably a little late there! I also tackled some of the apple trees. In past years I have had a visit from a delightful man who is an apple tree pruning wizard, using battery operated secateurs he whizzes through the branches bringing lightness and freshness everywhere. Unfortunately he is having a difficult time health wise at the moment and cannot work. I really wish him well. I went back to the RHS apple pruning advice and took out my trusty Felcos. But directions to main stems, laterals and sub-laterals, take back to three leaves, take back to one leaf left my head spinning and all I did was reduce any length over 20cms to a promising leaf. I hope I haven’t ruined the work of years. Here’s my six for this last week of August.

One

Well, lookey here. I thought the slimey ones had munched all my rudbeckia earlier in the season but a couple managed to survive and flower. To think I was admonishing these last year for running all over the place. Now I say ‘All power to you!’

Two

I am also grateful to the roses for putting on another flush. First up: Gertrude Jekyll, which had sent up two long suckers. These were quickly nipped out with the Felcos once again.

Three

This one is Madame Isaac Péreire. Described by the RHS as ‘almost continually in flower all summer’ and I can back that up. It does get to 2m but so far I have kept it lower growing. I’m thinking I might let it loose for next year.

Four

The last of the roses, is ‘Scepter’d Isle’. This is one I have let grow tall, reaching to about 1.2m. It makes me realise how tall Mdme IP will be if it really does reach 2m.

Five

There’s some seed collecting to be done. This lychnis coronaria doesn’t get dead-headed very often but is still putting out new flowers. Maybe those Felcos will be out again for a little tidying up here too.

Six

Lastly, and as I am on the topic of seeds. Here’s some nicotiana ‘Lime Green’. They come to me courtesy of the compost heap contents that were spread over the veg patch earlier in the year. The heap is three years old. I never know what surprises it will deliver but this was quite a good one, mixing in with the tomatoes.

September is arriving, Northern and Southern hemispheres move in different directions. Here autumn begins to settle in. It’s far too dry to do anything useful in the garden yet but I have itchy fingers. Seeds, bulbs, new plants are all encouraging me to get going again. I can’t wait. Jim, as always, hosts our SOS meme so do stop by, take a look, join in and enjoy your gardening week.

21 thoughts on “Six On Saturday: Cutting back”

  4. Battery operated secateurs sound like a good idea. I might have to look those up! It’s funny how we all suddenly get the urge to start cutting things back! And how good we feel when the job is done. I have some nicotiana from last year and they just keep on flowering, lovely scent too.

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  6. I tend to leave things stand over winter in my garden, but the two Beauty of Moscow lilacs are going to be cut to ground once it is truly fall and the shabby leaves are off. Their only hope of survival will be a serious lush growth in spring, but I have my doubts. The common lilac I planted where I took one other BoM lilac out has been in a holding pattern all summer and now is putting on new growth, extending it’s height slightly. It won’t bloom for another 2 years or so, but seems to be doing well. Harvest is coming in strong, and flowers are a riot of color in the last hurrah before summer is over. I love teh nicotiana! What a fun surprise. I have a surprise in my back garden – rudbeckia looking flower that popped up. Of course I am always collecting seed on campus and tossing it here and there, so who knows. I need to take a closer lok this morning – it was dusk when I noticed it yesterday.

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  10. Because our champion blooms outside of refined landscapes, deadheading is not really necessary. I sometimes deadhead just to scatter the seed elsewhere. I know I should not, but I do. Do you ever find white campion? Is ‘Lime Green’ flowering tobacco true to type from the same variety that bloomed there before, or did it just happen to bloom that color randomly?

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      • Spell check is annoying. I can see that you translated ‘champion’. Do you mean that ‘Lime Green’ is a bit darker than the originals that dispersed seed? Of all the campion that grows from seed here, very few bloom light pink rather than rich magenta. I noticed less than five several years ago, but have not seen any during the past few years. I noticed a single specimen that bloomed white at about the same time, and tossed its seed next to a white garden, but have not seen a white campion flower since then. Although white is my favorite color, it is not as pretty as magenta for campion. Magenta contrasts so perfectly with the silvery green foliage.

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