Finally got some time this weekend to work in the garden. There seemed so much to do to make me feel like I am in control. So I decided to start at the beginning of one border and just work my way round, clearing leaves and cutting back perennials.
I seemed to get distracted by the Stipa gigantea which had taken a bit of a battering in the recent snow. I cleared the leaves that had collected in the centre of the plant, I must admit some of them have been there since last winter. I cut back the old flowering stems and wasted a ridiculous waste of stems pulling out the dead leaves which I dont think I have really done for a couple of years. Removing the dead leaves thinned the plant right out and actually made the new leaves seem to lift. Just to finish my hairdressing session off I trimmed the ends of the leaves so they didnt drag on the ground so much and again helped lift the plant.
I am really pleased with the result, the plant looks a lot healthier and all ready for the spring. However, I don’t think there is a career for me as a hairdresser.
After the haircut
January 24, 2010 at 8:00 pm
I definitely see a difference! You sound like me, I get a great feeling when my yard is under control! 🙂 Your yard looks great.
I garden in Southern California so we probably have huge differences in what is going on in our yards.
We just had a week of heavy rain (El Nino) which is unusual. This week will be sunny most of the week so our plants will start their march into spring time blooming. I posted some pictures of the roess that I transplanted 2 weeks ago just in time to enjoy the rain! My blog is Lala Land
January 24, 2010 at 8:49 pm
Since I am new at this I didn’t know the correct way to send someone to my blog. It is lalaland1960@wordpress.com
January 25, 2010 at 1:31 am
I love it when grasses look all tidy ready for the coming year. One of my gardens had a huge amount of stipia that I used to rake out in the spring. Yours is looking very handsome now
K
January 25, 2010 at 7:51 am
It is amazing what a bit of TLC and pruning or cutting out old stems will do for a plant. Quite the transformation! How lovely you get to work in your garden!! carol
January 25, 2010 at 12:01 pm
It’s looking much improved for your action. You are braver than me – I’m holding back for a few weeks before any haircuts including my own 🙂
January 25, 2010 at 12:41 pm
I am sure the plant feels better – and so do you. A few jobs in the garden and we are back in the swing of things. Thank heavens!
January 25, 2010 at 1:10 pm
Nice to be able to do some chores in the garden, isn’t it? We’re under snow here so my tasks are to look outside and dream about spring. 🙂
January 27, 2010 at 11:33 am
Gosh, would you like to come round and do mine? I think you definitely have a Vidal Sassoon way with your cutting techniques. I have been hacking back overgrown weigelas this week, not so much a haircut as a mass amputation, and I wouldn’t dare show you a photograph either before or after, I’d be too ashamed of the neglect in the first and the barbarity in the second!