There are usually two or three of these shoots which will develop and bear flowers in the following year. Forsythias flower on shoots which are two years old or more but these are pruned in the same way after flowering.

When pruning brooms all the stems with developing seed pods are cut back to the young shoots. In the case of weigelas and deutzias, you need to cut out the old flowered wood near to the base of the plant, at the same time leaving as many new shoots as possible. They will flower much better due to this harder pruning.

We come now to the shrubs which flower on the current season’s wood. The main ones to include here are Buddleia davidii, earyopteris, and deciduous varieties of ceanothus, hardy fuchsias, hydrangea paniculala and tamarix. I always cut all the old stems down to within a few inches of the ground in early spring. These shrubs are very vigorous and soon send up plenty of young shoots.

When Buddleia davidii, Hydrangea paniculata, ceanothus and tamarix are cut right down each year they do not grow quite as large as they would do naturally. While this suits owners of small gardens admirably, some gardeners like to have larger specimens. Therefore, a framework of older branches can be built up by pruning some of the shoots less severely. However, hard pruning of the flowered wood must still be carried out.

The flowered shoots contained on the main framework must be cut back to within two or three buds of the main stems during March or April. They will then send up masses of whippy shoots. This is a good way, for example, of growing willows in a small garden. The colored and leaved elders can also be pruned hard each spring, either to within a few inches of the ground, or a framework of older wood that can be built up. The shoots from this cut back to within two or three buds of their base. After pruning those shrubs which flower on the current year’s wood, I usually give them a dressing of an all-purpose fertilizer. I find that this encourages them to make strong growth.

There are many shrubs which can be increased from hard-wood cuttings, some of them include Camus alba, stuloniferu, forsythia, garrya, laburnum, philadelphus, privet, ribes, sambucus, tamarix and willows. After I have taken the cuttings the next step involves removing the shoots with a heel of older wood attached.

Then this is further trimmed to get it nice and smooth. Thereafter I simply cut off the tip of the shoot, just above a bud to get a cutting of approximately about 9 to l0 inches in length. Some gardeners often prefer to cut the base of the shoot just below the joint of a leaf.

These cuttings should be avoided in the case of weak or spindly shoots. This should be strictly avoided. Inserting the Cuttings involves identifying the hard-wood cuttings that are rooted in the open ground.

You need to try and select a sheltered situation for them, which would be a better option. The easiest and the best possible way to insert them is to make a trench. For this, you need to keep one of the sides vertical. However, it has to be sufficiently deep or deep enough to allow the cuttings to be inserted to about two-thirds of their length. If the soil is very light and well drained out it is okay otherwise placing a layer of coarse sand all along the bottom of the trench would be the right thing to do. Before I insert the cuttings I dip the base of each one of them in a hormone rooting powder.

They are then placed along the trench, against the vertical side and approximately about 2 inches apart, with the base of each of them cutting in close contact with the sand. Then the soil is returned to the trench and the cuttings are firmed thoroughly. In case frost loosens the cuttings they should be re-rooted as soon as possible, otherwise there is every chance that they may not form roots.

Let them remain in the bed until the season of autumn of the following year. Then they can be lifted and planted out into a nursery bed, about l foot apart in rows 2 that are set feet apart.

These would then therefore have to be waited for. Preparing the cuttings is also very important. I find it best to pull off the shoots with a heel of older wood attached. The cuttings, when prepared, are 6 to 8 inches long. If the tip of a shoot is very soft then I cut it off. Some gardeners like to cut the shoots just below a leaf joint, but the method used depends upon personal preference. Heather cuttings, incidentally, are best taken with a heel and should be about l to 2inches in length. The leaves on the lower half of all cuttings must be cut with a sharp knife, close to the stem.

Suitable rooting mediums are essential to the process. I prefer a mixture of equal parts of loam, peat and sand, but a mixture of equal parts peat and sand is also suitable, particularly for cuttings of lime-hating plants. While inserting the cuttings it is important to know that the cuttings can be inserted in a cold frame, about 2inches apart each way. This should be done with half of their length below the soil. Before I insert them, however, I like to dip the base first in water and then in a hormone rooting powder to assist in rapid root development. I use a piece of wood that is shaped rather like a pencil or dibber, for making the planting holes. I then work on the cuttings thoroughly with this, paying particular attention to the base.

The base of each cutting must be in close contact with the soil, otherwise roots do not form. l water the cuttings thoroughly to settle them in and then close the frame. They like a moist, closed atmosphere as this encourages them to root more quickly. The frame can be kept closed for three or four weeks, opening it only for a few minutes each morning to allow condensation to drain from the underside of the glass. I also syringe the cuttings for the first week or two to keep the leaves moist and to prevent flagging.

After about four weeks a little ventilation can be given, by which time many of the cuttings will be starting to form roots. Ventilation should then be gradually increased. The rooted cuttings remain in the frame during the winter and should be given plenty of air when the weather is fine. They must be protected with a frame light during periods of heavy rain, snow or severe frost.

This eventually produces the shoots and branches. lt is essential that the stock and scion should be compatible. This indicates that they need to unite or grow together. ln most cases they are of the same genus. Sometimes plants of different genera can be grafted, like amelanchier on to sorbus aucuparia.

The selection of stocks involves careful consideration. Varieties of holly can be grafted on to the common holly; crab apples on to the common crab or apple stocks; ornamental peaches, plums and almonds on to common mussel plum stock; ornamental cherries on to Pnmux avium, the Gean or wild cherry; rhododendrons on to R. panticum; amelanchier and varieties of mountain ash on to sorbus aucuparia; crataegus varieties on to the common quickthorn and labumums on to vulgare.

You will notice that most plant varieties are grafted on to their common counterparts. Preparation of stocks requires buying them from a nurseryman and planted in rich, well-prepared soil during October or November. They are then left to grow until the following March when grafting can take place. During this time it pays to rub off all buds on the stems 9 to 12 inches from the ground. Selecting the scions is also important.

The one year old shoots for grafting are best as these are not too thick. They can be cut from the parent plant in February, tied in bundles and heeled in under a north wall until they are required in March. Just before use they must be washed free of soil. Whip and tongue grafting are popular methods used for many trees and shrubs. For this, and any other type of grafting, always use a really sharp knife. First, the stock is cut down to within 3 or 4 inches off the ground. Then a slanting upward cut about an inch long is made at the top of the stock.

This should remove about half the thickness of the stock. Then a small downward cut is made in the cut surface near the top. This forms a `tongue’. To prepare the scion the selected shoots are cut so that each piece contains three or four buds. Do not use the soft tips of the shoots. The base of the scion is prepared by making a slanting downward cut similar to the one on the stock. Then a tongue is cut so that it corresponds with the one on the stock.

The tongue of the scion is fitted into the one on the stock. lf the cut surfaces are perfectly smooth they will fit closely together. The graft is then bound very tightly and then covered with grafting wax to render it airtight and watertight. lf the widths of stock and scion differ, then it is essential that one side of each should meet perfectly. This is to allow the cambium layers that are seen immediately under the bark of stock and scion to unite. Unless the cambium layers meet somewhere a union will not occur. Once the scion is growing vigorously, the shoots or buds which appear on the stock should be rubbed out regularly.

This makes the hedge look natural and soft. Care should be taken while trimming flowering hedges. If trimmed too often, they will produce very few blooms.

Conifers and Evergreens like the rhododendron, acuba and the laurel, which have large leaves, are best trimmed with secateurs, so that the cuts are made on the wood.

Trees, on the other hand, do not need regular pruning as most of them should be allowed to grow to their natural shapes. What needs to be pruned are the dead or diseased branches during the winter. Sometimes a branch that crosses over to the trunk over other branches, needs to be pruned.

Snags, (which are standing partly or completely dead trees), must not be left after the branches have been cut off, or these may encourage diseases to enter the trees. Large cuts should be made smooth with a pruning knife and then painted with a bituminous paint to prevent entry of diseases. The pruning of ornamental plums, peaches and cherries is best carried out in the growing season soon after they flower. This would be in June, July or August. At this time of the year the cut heals quickly and there is less likelihood of them being infected by the Silverleaf, which is a fungal disease.

Trees which have been grafted, such as the ornamental cherries, peaches and plums, are often troubled with rootstock suckers. They may emerge either from below the ground or from the trunk of the tree below the graft union.

These should be cut back to their point of origin. Trimming your hedge before the fall and winter months also means that the new growth will happen only with spring flowering shrubs. The sides of the hedge should be trimmed at a slight angle so that it is wider at the base and slightly condensed at the top. This would allow sunlight to fall on all the leaves even those that are lower down. Always remember to disinfect the secateurs or shears after using them

They can be planted in beds or planted as borders either on their own or as mixed borders with perennial and other plants. An example of mixed borders would be one in which small flowering trees like ornamental pears, or rhododendron shrubs are planted with. This combination would look attractive in every season.

They could be planted near the boundaries of the garden as screens. A carefully positioned tree or shrub can be used to mask, maybe a corner of a building or some other obstruction that detracts from the beauty of the garden. Trees and shrubs, particularly evergreens form windbreaks.

These look beautiful against a house, as well as act as break the intensity of strong, howling, high-speed winds during the monsoons or in winter. If it is the harsh afternoon sun that you want to block, then choose trees which have denser growth of leaves. The walls of the house and other buildings in the compound may be used as a support for climbers and wall shrubs.

This would depend, of course, on the architecture of the buildings and whether their appearance would be enhanced by the shrubs planted against them, or the climbers which grow on them. In small gardens, walls add a new dimension because climbers and vines could be grown against them and trained to trail over them. This would leave the beds free to grow a wider and interesting selection of plants.

Individual, or in gardening terminology, ‘specimen’ trees and shrubs could be planted in the lawns as focal points. Those with attractively shaped or colored leaves are ideal for this purpose. Flowering trees, those which produce berries, and trees with colored bark look very handsome when grown thus. Weeping trees, with arching branches make superb lawn specimens. Shrubs, one would choose for the purpose of ornamentation, would be neat and attractive with no straggly branches. Some trees and shrubs look very attractive near a water body. Weeping willows and dogwoods come to mind here.

A rock garden can have a selection of miniature shrubs and trees. Bonsai, today, is a specialized art and bonsai plants would certainly add to the uniqueness of a rock garden. Formal hedges, with or without topiary art, and informal flowering hedges provide and attractive background for other planting schemes. Hedges which have berries, or have gold and silver variegated foliage are extremely attractive. There are a number of small shrubs that are perfectly happy growing in the shade of large trees. Beds of shrubs like the rhododendrons, hydrangeas, mahonias and skimmias under the tall trees make for an attractive picture. Some, though, like to grow in very dry, open and sunny areas. There are low-growing and spreading shrubs described as ground-cover plants that look lovely when grown between larger trees and shrubs, as they form a kind of carpet, and at the same time to a large extent suppress weeds and make soil cultivation unnecessary.

With rhododendrons and azaleas, the clusters of seed pods can be twisted off the plant, taking care not to damage the buds which are developing below. Old flower heads of lilacs can be removed with a sharp pair of secateurs, cutting them off at the base. Heather and lavender require only a light trim with a pair of shears after they have flowered.

This also keeps the plants compact. Care has to be taken that only the flower heads are removed and the main shoot or stem are not cut or nicked.

Flowers that bloom in winter can be left till March or April before they are trimmed. Shrubs which have been budded or grafted onto a rootstock invariably throw up suckers. The plants that fall in this category include rhododendrons, azaleas and lilacs. Suckers can be removed by cutting them at their point of origin. Suckers are easily identifiable as the leaves are usually slightly different from those of the main growth. It is necessary to be alert to the presence of dead or diseased wood.

These are very easily infected, besides, of course, being unsightly. Dead or diseased wood should be cut off immediately. Shrub roses too have to be checked for dead wood. If you feel the bushes are becoming too thick, then a little of the old wood could be pruned. Apart from this, shrub roses do not need much attention.

If you want to grow more of your favorite plants from the seeds, then you cannot remove the flower heads. You will need the flowers to make the seeds. For example, flowers like the Clematis, Lunaria, and Pyracantha are not removed. Instead the seeds are collected for planting in the next season.

The flower bearing stems of the Lupin when cut back to the base soon after it has flowered will flower again later with another flush of flowers. Delphiniums, Phlox, Roses and Dianthus are some other flowers which flower again lusciously and for longer periods of time if the dead flower heads are removed.

Make sure that the handle is cushioned, or you will get blisters on your hands. Rake the leaves when they are dry, as wet leaves are heavier and consequently harder to draw together. Start from the left side of the yard or lawn.

Stretch the rake out in front of you, place it head down over the leaves, and pull the leaves towards you. This is done so that all the leaves can be gathered in one big pile. Rake the right side and pile the leaves in a separate pile. Then rake the centre.

Thus you have 3 piles of leaves. Open and lay a large plastic tarpaulin as close to the piles of leaves as you can. Flip over the rake so that the tines now face up. Use the rake in this manner to scoop up the leaves from the piles and put them in the middle of the tarpaulin.

Move in a systematic manner over the yard or lawn, working as described above filling the tarpaulin with the dried leaves, and slowly but surely you will have a clean yard. Leave enough room so that the tarpaulin can be folded diagonally. It is easier to lift the tarpaulin in this manner. You can now leave the tarpaulin for the garbage man or put the leaves in your own garden compost pit. If you have a very large yard, you might want to get a leaf vacuum /mulcher.

There is quite a variety available. The vacuum is attached to the leaf blower and the end is in a lined trash can. Thus you could vacuum the leaves, and these are them shredded to make a fine mulch, which would come in handy for your shrubs, flower beds and trees. No matter how carefully you try to collect the leaves, there will always be some left in the yard. Attach a bag to your mulching lawn mower and run it across the yard. The mower will collect all the remaining leaves and shred them into fine mulch.

In trees with heavy foliage, pruning the crown allows air circulation and for sunlight to touch all the parts of the tree, thus stimulating new growth. Sometimes a tree has to be pruned to reduce the height. Possibly the lower branches are too low. These can be pruned, such that though they are cut off, the shape and size of the tree remain intact.

There might be branches that cross and grow back to the centre of the tree. These will have to be pruned to give way for the other branches to grow out straight. When pruning is done in the formative years of the plant, there is less chance for the plant becoming diseased. It is wise to remember that the pruning of trees should be done by experts, because it is important which branches are being cut. The structural strength of the tree which lies in the trunk or the main stem should not be compromised. Stems have nodes.

This is the point from which the branches grow. There is a small piece of tissue called a stem collar which grows out from the stem at the point where the branch grows out. Pruning is done on the branch side of this stem collar, thus protecting the stem so that all the other branches growing out from it are not affected.

Shrubs need to be pruned regularly to remove the dead or diseased branches. Importantly, pruning increases the quality and yield of the flowers and fruits. It also enhances the structural strength of the plants. Shrubs which form hedges have to be regularly pruned to maintain their shape and so that the foliage grows out densely. It is important to know when best to prune your plants, especially the flowering shrubs. A thumb rule for pruning flowering shrubs is after they have finished blooming and before the winter sets in. Flowers have a lot of energy which they use in the formation of seeds. If the flowers are de-headed as soon as they finish blooming, then all this energy remains in the plant and is used to grow stronger to get ready for the next flowering season.

De-heading is essential in plants like the Hydrangea and lilac, which bear clusters of flowers. If you have bare root deciduous shrubs in your garden, the branches will have to be thinned out and the broken and diseased roots will need to be pruned. Also, the roots that cross over or circle around, will have to be cut off. The best time for pruning is the late winter, just before spring. This would allow for the fresh wounds to be exposed only for a very short time before the callus, or thickened tissue seals off the wound. Trees and shrubs that bloom early in the year should be pruned as soon as they finish blooming. Some examples of trees and shrubs in this category are the

• Apricot
• Azalea
• Chokeberry
• Magnolia
• Forsythia
• Cherry
• Clove currant
• Flowering Plum
• Lilac
• Weigela

The pruning time for shrubs that are planted for their foliage should be in spring. This category of shrubs includes the Dogwood, Honeysuckle, Burning Bush, Alpine Currant, Barberry, and the Purpleleaf Sandcherry. Some shrubs bloom when their growth is new. They should be pruned in spring before they start to grow. Plants like the clematis and the shrub roses should be pruned back to the live wood because their stems are not too hardy while the hardier shrubs like the late blooming Spireas and Hydrangeas should be pruned right down to the first pair of buds above the ground.

Shrubs which are used as hedges need to be pruned soon after they are planted. Once they grow to the height that you want, prune the new growth whenever it grows 6 to 8 inches more that what you want. Prune to 2 inches before the last pruning. If you prune your hedges twice a year, once in the spring and once in midsummer, they grow out densely and are very attractive. Hedges must be pruned such that they are wide at the base and narrow at the top. This would allow the sunlight to penetrate to every part of the hedge. To prune overgrown shrubs remove half of the oldest and thickest stems right from the roots.
This will allow the new stems to grow out from the roots. As for the beautiful evergreens, Spruces, Firs and Douglas-firs can be pruned at any time because they have lateral buds which will sprout when the buds at the tips are removed. Spring pruning could be done as well. Pine trees don’t need much pruning. If, however they have to be pruned, then only up to two-thirds of the newly expanded ‘candles’ should be pruned. Yews, and Junipers, Arborvitae and Hemlocks can be pruned in the midsummer, because they grow continuously throughout the growing season.

A number of tools are used in pruning. For pruning shrubs, make sure you have a sharp pair of secateurs. For pruning of trees, there are a large number of new and innovative tools like the rope saw, pole pruner and lopper, folding pruner and portable buck saws. Make sure that these are disinfected after each use.

The roots, stem and foliage need to be protected while transporting them. Thus, all preparations should be made so that the transfer is as smooth as possible. If, for some reason, the plants are being help on the landscaped site, then make sure that they are protected from the sun and wind.

Be careful that the roots neither freeze nor dry out. If necessary, the roots can be covered with mulch. It is necessary to prepare the ground before digging. A hole large enough to allow the roots to spread to their full extent is made.

The depth has to be such that when the specimen is planted, it should be at the same depth as it was in the nursery. With most trees and shrubs, the original soil mark can be seen on the main stem.

If the soil is compacted or poorly drained, a good root zone can be created by adding loam to the topsoil and aerating the soil. If the soil is sandy, a heavier topsoil is put in. Thus, tilling the soil to improve both aeration and drainage is essential.

Before planting, examine the roots to make sure that there is no disease. If there are any roots that are torn and broken, they should be cut back to the undamaged part, otherwise they may be easily infected by disease.

If you are planting trees, they will most certainly need a support. Strong wooden stakes should be cut and put in place before the tree is planted. The top of the stake should be just below the lowest branches of the tree that you are planting.

The distance between the stake and the main stem or trunk of the tree should be 2 inches. Place the tree or shrub in the centre of the hole and spread the roots out to their full length.

Make sure that the roots are not folded or crossed back. Put some fine soil over the roots and gently shake the plant up and down to allow the soil to filter in among all the root branches.

Then firm the soil by gently treading over it, or by patting it down with your hands. Keep adding soil alternating it with treading or patting until the natural soil level is reached. The soil is thus firm and in close contact with the roots.