PLANT OF THE WEEK
You want to retain the main upright canes as a framework, although you can remove one or two older canes completely to stimulate new growth. Then cut back side shoots off these canes to within a couple of buds.
My roses are growing around pillars so I chose one or two very pliable main stems and coiled these around the pillar, tying them in which will hopefully stimulate plenty of side buds to grow and flower.
While up on my ladder, I also chopped back whippy side stems of the wisteria. Solanum jasminoides, a slightly tender but vigorous climber, is somewhat frost damaged with brown burnt leaves but I resisted the urge to clip this back yet until I’m quite confident we’ve come to the end of the really harsh weather.
Once you get going you can get quite scissor happy so what else can you be doing right now?
Buddlejas are due a hard prune – right back to a woody stump – as are lavatera. It looks very drastic but it will keep your shrubs in check and won’t diminish flowering later on in the year.
Finally, say a little thank you to your spring bulbs such as daffs and snowdrops which have provided much-needed cheer through the chilly days.
Allow their foliage to die back naturally and give them some liquid feed to boost them for next year.
RIBES SPECIOSUM
The flowering currant, Ribes sanguineum, is a familiar sight in many gardens – a reliable foot soldier of hedges and shrubberies. It does however have a lesser known cousin, Ribes speciosum, which deserves to be planted more widely.
Its scarlet flowers look a little like fuchsia, hence its common name the fuchsia-flowered currant. It’s very thorny, similar to gooseberry, so handle with care or use as a burglar-deterrent plant.
It’s beautiful trained against a south-facing wall where you can admire its serried ranks of scarlet flowers, and it will appreciate the shelter and warmth.