As warm weather continues across the UK, gardens are bursting into bloom. To ensure a beautiful display next year, July is the ideal time for pruning key plants. Noah Mabey, Senior Gardener at Thornbridge Hall and Horticultural Advisor to Platinum Splash, shares six plants that benefit from a summer trim.
Roses
Mabey advises: “Keep deadheading diligently. When a rose flower fades, don't just snip the head off, cut the spent stem back to a healthy set of five leaves. This tricks the plant into pushing out another flush of gorgeous blooms.”
Wisteria
July is perfect for a summer wisteria prune. “By now, it has likely sent out long, grabby, whippy green vines. Cut these unruly shoots back to about five buds to control the shape and encourage better flowering next year,” Mabey explains.
Herbaceous Perennials
If geraniums or other early summer perennials have finished their first blooms, cut them back hard. “This will encourage fresh foliage and a second wave of flowers,” says Mabey.
Sweet Peas
Regular pruning boosts sweet pea production. “The more you pick, the more they grow,” Mabey notes. “Keep harvesting flowers for indoor vases and snip off spent heads before they go to seed to keep blooms coming.”
Topiary
Trim back topiary hedges now to sharpen silhouettes and maintain freshness through summer.
Fruit Trees
For fruit trees with congested clusters, thin them to two or three healthy fruits per cluster. “This ensures the tree channels its energy into growing larger, healthier fruit,” Mabey advises.
