I was horrified when I followed the instructions from Monty Don on Gardner's World and cut down all the old flowering spikes from the Delphinium Pacific Giant. Apparently it would regrow and possibly flower again. He said to leave on the foliage, but this was only on those spikes I removed. So for over a week it looked dead. But then this week there are signs of new growth coming up from the ground. Hurrah!
Into July and the Delphinium is growing back with a vengeance.
Below is the Astrantia Roma as it was in May.
After it had flowered, I cut back all the old stems as the photo below. Already there is regrowth, looking fresh and healthy. For future reference, I covered the base with compost as a new mulch.
It didn't take long before the new growth started.
Into July and there is even the signs of a new flower.
Below is the Viburnum.
When Pat Kernan came to look at taking down some trees, I asked him to take out the Viburnum bush as the leaves had been destroyed by a blight. However on his advice I tried a pyrethrin based spray to deter the beetle that is eating the leaves. And low and behold there are already new leaves sprouting at the top. Apparently spring is the best time to spray, so that is on my list.
One of the perennials I thought could be better with the "Chelsea Chop" in May was the Achillea above. So I tried cutting the one at the front of the photo above, now towered over by the one I didn't touch.
Then the Asters.
The Asters above have never flowered that well, so this year I have left a patch as the top photo and chopped those at the bottom. They flower late summer, so that will be interesting.
The flowers on the Astrantia Snowdrop below only faded at the end of July, so now this has been chopped to the ground. Watch this space.
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