These were root-pruned this spring. They look pretty healthy, although there’s no sign of any flowers. Eaten leaves are normal. The leaves on the old stems have not grown very symmetrically, and some hackery may be necessary next spring. See Root pruning

The old stems of both these both died and they shot up new ones. I quite like the columnar form on the left. I might cut back the one on the right to make it more bushy.

For some reason this was the only one of last autumns root cuttings to survive, but it looks quite healthy.

Euphorbia wulfenii Cut back dead flowers. Still quite big.

Knautia macedonica Cut back dead flowers. Should come again this year.

Rosa ‘Complicata’ This flowered well, but had got too big. I cut it back to about 1′ above the ground. This is harder than ideal, but it should recover. I’ll lose the hips, of course.

Clematis ‘Ville de Lyon’ This had got rather straggly. I cut it back hard. Hopefully it will flower again this year on new wood. It usually does.

Front

Back

When I arrived this shrub had been pruned into a very dull ball. When I cut it to the ground I discovered the plant label, and realised that it has an AGM.

In 2017 it was superb and flowered well. It seemed to suffer from the Beast from the East in 2018, and the subsequent drought. Most of it died, and a bracket fungus seemed to indicate the end.

Then, earlier in 2019, part of it made a miraculous recovery. What next?

At last this is producing some flower. Not much, but worthwhile. I wonder what caused this.

See also: November 17, August 17

Aucuba japonica ‘Variegata’, Cotinus ‘Royal Purple’ and Fatsia japonica planted out from pots. Also some rather weak Evening Primrose plants from Dyffryn. The spirea is actually looking quite good again.

The fuchsia should break up the large patch of persicaria and stop it looking rather dull in winter.

See also October 18, March 18, June 17

A total of 6 bulbs from Harts planted in two pots in February. Very good. Strong scent. Entirely self-supporting so far.

c. 9 am on wall next to pond. Too big to be one of this year’s?