Pruning Guides

Photinia red robin going brown? Discover the 7 causes including leaf spot, frost damage and drought, with expert diagnosis tips and fixes from a BBC Garden Rescue designer.

Quick Answer Clematis are the most rewarding climbing plants in the UK garden, but success depends on three things: planting them 8 to 10cm deeper than the pot, giving them at least six hours of sun with shaded roots, and pruning them according to their group. Get those right and a clematis will thrive for […]

RHS-qualified designer Lee Burkhill’s complete guide to pruning philadelphus. When to prune, step by step technique, renovation advice and the four reasons yours may not be flowering.

Lee Burkhill, RHS-qualified horticulturalist and BBC Garden Rescue presenter, explains exactly when and how to prune magnolias without losing next year’s flowers. Covers all UK varieties.

Lavender is a plant that people are immediately drawn to in gardens because of its colour and heady scent! Lavender has beautiful aromatic foliage that brings heady scents to the garden, along with purple spikes of flowers. It has many uses, whether as an herb, for aromatherapy in the home, in sensory applications as you […]

Quick Answer Prune most roses in the UK in February, cutting back to an outward-facing bud at a 45-degree angle. Remove all dead, damaged and diseased stems first, then prune crossing stems and reduce last season’s growth by one third. Always mulch and feed afterwards. Climbing roses are pruned in autumn after flowering; ramblers immediately […]

Quick Answer Rhododendrons need very little pruning. The main tasks are deadheading spent flowers immediately after blooming, removing dead or diseased wood at any time of year, and light shaping after flowering in May or June. Hard renovation pruning to reduce an overgrown plant is best done in late winter between January and March, accepting […]

Quick Answer Roses fail to flower for eight main reasons: not enough sun, wrong pruning time or technique, too much nitrogen fertiliser, lack of deadheading, drought or waterlogging stress, pest and disease pressure, blind shoots, or the plant being too newly planted to flower freely. Most of these are simple to diagnose and straightforward to […]

Let’s talk softwood cuttings, the easiest way to propagate plants for free! Learn exactly when and how to take softwood cuttings from your favourite shrubs, perennials, and climbers. This step-by-step guide covers timing, technique, rooting methods, and aftercare to transform garden trimmings into thriving new plants. Perfect for budget-conscious UK gardeners wanting instant results. Taking […]

Quick Answer Prune Cornus (grown for winter colour) in late March to early April, once established for three or more years. Cut all stems back to around 10cm above ground level. This hard pruning, called coppicing, encourages vigorous new growth that produces the brightest stem colour the following winter. Young plants under three years old […]