Getting Shrubs under control

Hello all

I am new here so please bare with me.

I have a border that has the following shrubs:

From Left to Right:

Mock Orange
Buddleia
Lilac ?
Wild Rose
Mock Orange

These have now got out of hand and are currently over 6' tall and straggly.

Ideally I would like these shrubs to be approximately 3' to 4' tall and shaped correctly.

Would it be feasible to cut them down to the ground and if so when would be the best time to do that?

Thanks for any suggestions.

Kevin

 

Hello Kevin
Lilac.....asap after flowering. You can cut hard back but, as already said, do so as early in the season as possible for flowers next year.
Buddleia.....you can cut this very hard. Buddleia flower on wood made this spring and summer. Slightly late but do it now, nice clean sharp cuts, and flowers should appear in late summer.
Mock Orange...after flowering remove the flowered stems back to new buds on those stems. Remove some oldest stems right to the ground. If you really want to reduce the total size you can cut hard back but this means no flowers next year, maybe the year after too. Best way is to prune annually after flowering as already said.
Wild rose.....cut back again as hard as you like but prune to shape, viz., to outward facing buds.
Remove all dead wood with all the above....this clears them out to allow air and light in and helps prevent disease.
You wont kill any of these plants by hard pruning but apply fertiliser afterward and, ideally, a mulch to help conserve moisture and prevent weeds...looks good too

 

Hello

Thanks for the reply and for the useful information.

Since I am Disabled I will try and do a bit at a time, it will take longer but I will get there eventually, hopefully.

Kevin

 

Welcome to the forum Kevin.
Please bear in mind that now is a bad time to be cutting overgrown shrubs, because it is in the middle of the nesting season. Our garden birds need all the assistance they can get.

 

Hello

Thanks for the reply.

I would never want to disturb any wildlife which I feed on a regular basis so I will wait until after the nesting season.

Kevin

 

Brilliant
Whereabouts are you? Do you garden on your own, or can you summon assistance from a willing slave occasionally?

 

Hello

Just for reference, I have attached an image of the shrubs to this reply.

Thanks

Kevin

 

Hello

I am in Doncaster (Armthorpe).

I live alone and unfortunately, since I am Autistic I do not like being around people, have no friends and my Brother and Sister are not very willing to help.

Thanks

Kevin

 

Well, I think you have a few friends now you`ve joined this forum. I used to live near Doncaster about a hundred years ago when I was a child. If I still did, I would offer to lend a hand from time to time. It`s a bit too far to come though from down here in Kent.
I think you will enjoy your garden. Maybe you can post some photos of it sometime so that we can have a peep.

Oh woops, you sneaked a picture in already

 

Hello

Thanks for the reply, it is appreciated.

I have lived in Armthorpe now for nearly 50 years but was born in Trumpington, outside Cambridge.

I will try to get a few photos done so you can all see the mess, I mean garden as it is

Thanks

Kevin

 

Oh good - we all like pictures

 

Hello all

Here are the pictures, five in all starting from the left and going round the garden ending at the house back wall.

Thanks

Kevin