What to do in February – Flower Garden

What to do in February – Flower Garden

 

 

In the Flower Garden

Prune your Wisteria now, cutting back summer side-shoots to 2 or 3 buds.

Towards the end of the month prune summer-flowering Clematis before active growth begins.

Cut back shrubs such as Cornus and Salix cultivars (grown for their colourful winter stems) down to their bases.

 

 

Cut back the old foliage from ornamental grasses before growth begins - clip them to within a few centimetres of the ground.

Prune overwintered fuchsias back to one or two buds on each shoot.

Prune Winter Flowering Jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum) after flowering to encourage new growth for next year's blooms. Cut back the previous year’s growth to 5cm from the old wood.

 

 

Prune winter flowering shrubs such as Mahonia and Viburnum x bodnantense after their colourful display has finished.

Trim winter-flowering heathers as the flowers disappear, to prevent the plants becoming leggy.

Remove any faded flowers from your winter pansies to stop them setting seed. This will encourage a flush of new flowers when the weather warms up.

 

 

Lift and divide snowdrops still 'in the green' if you want to move them or create more plants.

If you need to move deciduous trees or shrubs, now is the time to do it provided the soil is not frozen or waterlogged.

Plant Lilies and Allium bulbs. 

 

 

Plant bare root roses in a sunny position for spectacular summer colour.

Plant fragrant winter flowering shrubs to add interest to borders. Try Daphne, Viburnum x bodnantense, Witch Hazel (Hamamelis x intermedia) and Wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox).

Hardwood cuttings taken last year may need planting or potting on now.

 

 

Pot on rooted cuttings of tender perennial plants taken last summer.

Look out for Hellebore leaf spot (rounded brown spots on the leaves) and remove any leaves that are affected.