INTER-FLOWERING shrubs are a great way of reminding us that not everything is mud-coloured and drab in winter.

Wintersweet, witch hazel, daphne and viburnum are among those producing scented flowers through the coldest days.

After blooming, they need cutting back as soon as possible, because if you prune when their branches are putting on growth, you will remove this    clematis after

year's flower-    bl

producing wood, and reduce their flowering potential.

Our winter-flowering clematis ‘Freckles' put on a beautiful show, and needs tidying up now. This variety of clematis doesn't appreciate hard pruning, so simply remove the dead flowers, and cut back to a pair of healthy leaf buds. Pruning
“Cut back shrubs after flowering”
also gives you the chance to check for pest and disease, and treat any problems.

After pruning, feed then mulch shrubs t; encourage strong growth.

The largest task I recently set riyself was the renovation of a massively overgrown v.inter jasmine (fasminum nudiflorum). Its stems lie behind the wheelie bins, and were swamped by a knot of weeds and iv, In the four years we have been in our hous> it has received little more than a cursory late-winter prune, so was a prime candidate for renovation.

This may mean it won't flower as profusely next winter, while it recovers, but it will be a healthier plant as a result.

I started by removing the ‘three Ds' -diseased, dead and dying branches. These should be cut out entirely, or at least back to healthy wood. You should also remove shoots that are congested.

This opens up the framework, allowing air and light to access all areas, leading to a healthier plant. It also makes it easier for the gardener to get to more of the shrub.