Pruning time is here for the early spring shrubs which have finished flowering. Pruning provides the new wood on which they will bloom another year. The honeysuckles Lonicera fragrantissima and L. maacki (two of the first flowerers), Exochorda racemosa (E. grandiflora), called the pearl-bush, and the spireas all are now ready for the shears. Cut out heavy center canes and trim long unruly shoots. but never, never, chop off the branches in a straight line on top. Do not prune Chaenomeles lagenaria (often listed as Cydonia japonica) and lilacs Syringa persica and S. chinensis, for they bloom on old wood. You can clip off the ends of unruly shoots of these shrubs but never prune closely.
Little pruning is needed on climbing roses, but remove deadwood from these as from all plants. If underground shoots come out from climbing roses dig them and give to friends.
New roses planted earlier must be looked after now. Remove the soil banked around the stems and fertilize and water plants freely, though April showers may do the latter job for you.
Keep lawns cut so that the winter grass will not injure the new shoots of centipede grass. Fertilize lawns as well as flower borders. Put new mulches of oak leaves and pine needles on azaleas and camellias.
Thin out and replant your chrysanthemums now. Lift and and give them a new place in the sun. Share surplus seedlings of foxglove, penstemon, Berbera and gaillardia with friends. Also thin out ageratum, cultivated and wild eupatorium and aehillea.
Prevent any heavy-growing vines from taking over and crowding out finer stock. Keep the small roots pulled out ruthlessly. Yellow jasmine and Cherokee roses need watching, as well as many summer- and fall-blooming vines, including Clematis paniculata. The morning-glories Ipomoea lead (blue dawn-flower) and Ipomoea digitata, whose lovely foliage and fine-colored flowers make them distinctive anywhere, must also be controlled.
These tasks cannot keep you from the rare, rich pleasure of the early spring garden, where the Dutch iris is now parading its lovely rich colors along with the soft blue, rose and lavender of the scillas and brushed gold of the daffodils – all against a white-cloud background of pear, cherry, plum and dogwood blossoms. Yes, everywhere in the garden is beauty and that means joy!
by J Dillon
