SCENTED SUMMER

Mock orange (Philadelphus) has intoxicatingly sweetscented flowers in early summer that bloom on stems that grew the year before.

Once flowers have faded, remove about 20 per cent of the shrub by pruning branches back to a strongly growing shoot. This allows the shrub to put on growth from now until autumn which will provide a great display next summer; then the cycle begins again.

Pruning is about timing and aesthetics. By pruning now, we ensure the best chances for a good display next year but, as with all pruning, shape the shrub in a way that is visually pleasing based on the technique I’ve outlined – take your time and, most importantly, enjoy the process and don’t panic about mistakes.