Tuesday, April 1, 2025

Spring Pruning Guide: When & What to Prune

This Month in the Garden
As the weather warms up and new growth begins to emerge, early spring is an ideal time to prune many shrubs and perennials. Pruning helps shape plants, encourage healthy growth, and improve flowering and foliage. However, timing is key—some plants benefit from spring pruning, while others should be left alone until later in the season. When pruning, use clean, sharp tools to make precise cuts and prevent disease spread. Prune on a dry day to minimize disease risk, and avoid pruning too late once new growth has started to emerge, especially for plants that bloom on new wood.

Here’s a guide to common trees, shrubs and perennials that should be pruned now in spring for their best performance. When in doubt, always research specific plant needs before pruning, since some plants require light shaping, while others benefit from hard rejuvenation pruning.

TREES & SHRUBS TO PRUNE IN SPRING:

Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia)Crape Myrtle bloom later in summer on the new wood of the season and can be pruned in late winter-early spring before new growth occurs. Avoid harsh cutting (often referred to as Crape Murder) and focus on removing only damaged or crossing branches or sucker growth emerging from the bottom of the plant. A light pruning is recommended to reduce overall height, improve shape and encourage stronger growth.

Crape Myrtle 'Sioux'

Abelia:  Trim back up to one-third of the plant, focusing on removing dead or weak branches. Abelias bloom on new wood, so pruning now will not reduce flowering and make a more compact plant. Remove dead, damaged or crossing branches and long shoots to encourage vigorous new growth and abundant blooms in summer.

Abelia 'Kaliedoscope'

Butterfly Bush (Buddleia 'davidii'): blooms on the new wood of the season and should be pruned in late winter/early spring to encourage new growth. Prune branches when you see green buds appearing and before new growth starts to approximately 12-24 inches from the ground. Buddleia highly benefits from a severe pruning.  "Hard" pruning promotes many new arching branches with larger flowers than if the plant had not been pruned.  

Butterfly Bush (Buddleia)

Roses:  Cut back dead, diseased or weak canes, removing about a third of the plant. Shape as needed and trim just above outward-facing buds. Hybrid teas, floribundas, and grandifloras benefit from a hard prune, while climbing roses need selective thinning. Pruning out old woody stems encourages new growth.

Knock Out Rose

Spirea: Pruning Spirea in spring encourages a fuller, compact and healthier plant with more abundant blooms. If you have summer-blooming Spirea (like Spiraea japonica), cut back by about one-third in early spring before new growth emerges. Spring-blooming varieties (like Spiraea vanhouttei) should be pruned after flowering.

Spirea japonica

Caryopteris (Bluebeard Shrub): Trim to about 6–12 inches tall before new growth emerges. Since Caryopteris blooms on new wood, a hard prune leads to better flowering. Bluebeard Shrub benefits from pruning similar to Spirea, creating studier dense growth and a healthier more compact plant.

Caryopteris (Bluebeard Shrub)

Hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata & Hydrangea arborescens):  Panicle hydrangeas (H. paniculata) and smooth hydrangeas (H. arborescens) bloom on new wood, and can be pruned now by cutting back no more than one-third of their height. These varieties include but are not limited to Hydrangea 'Tardiva',  'Endless Summer', Let's Dance 'Big Band', 'PeeGee', and 'Limelight'. Prune only as needed and avoid over pruning as it can lead to loss of blooms as the plant puts all of its energy into new growth. Avoid pruning bigleaf hydrangeas (H. macrophylla) Oakleaf hydrangeas (H. quercifolia) and Climbing Hydrangea in spring, as they bloom on old wood. For Hydrangea that bloom on old wood, it is alright to prune off only the faded blooms above where the buds appear and to thin out overcrowded and dead branches to improve air circulation and light penetration. 

Panicle Hydrangea

PERENNIALS TO PRUNE IN SPRING:

Hellebore (Lenten Rose): It is best to remove winter burned and tattered foliage from Hellebores in late winter-early spring to clean up the plant, allow blooms to be seen. New growth will start to appear once the temperatures warm. 

Hellebore (Lenten Rose)

Lily Turf (Liriope muscari & Liriope spicata): Use shears to cut back all foliage to about 2–3 inches tall before new growth appears in early spring. This practice refreshes the plant and removes tattered foliage.

Liriope (Lilyturf)

Ornamental Grasses (Miscanthus, Pennisetum, Panicum)Cut back to about 4–6 inches from the ground before new growth begins to clear out dead foliage and encourages new shoots. If you wait too long, new shoots will be difficult to avoid cutting.

Ornamental Grasses

PLANTS TO AVOID PRUNING IN SPRING:  

Some trees and shrubs bloom on old wood and should not be pruned in spring. Instead, wait until after they flower. These include but are not limited to Lilac (Syringa), Forsythia, Eastern Redbud, Flowering Dogwood, Kwanzan Cherry, Ornamental Plum, Azaleas and Rhododendrons, Weigela, Viburnum, Bigleaf (Hydrangea macrophylla), Climbing Hydrangea and Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia). Note: Be very careful when pruning Hydrangea as many varieties produce their blooms on old wood from the previous season. 

As a rule of thumb, any tree or shrub that blooms in spring or early summer should not be pruned until after bloom. 

Mophead Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla)

I hope you enjoyed This Month in the GardenBy pruning your trees, shrubs and perennials at the right time, you will set them up for a season of lush, healthy growth and abundant blooms. 


As Always...Happy Gardening!

Author: Lee @A Guide to Northeastern Gardening, © Copyright 2010-2025. All rights reserved. 

Saturday, March 15, 2025

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day & Foliage Follow-Up March: Countdown to Spring!

Welcome!
As spring approaches in less than a week and with temperatures finally getting up into the upper 50’s, the garden is starting to come to life after its winter sleep. It has been an unusual winter all around with mild temperatures followed by temperatures in the teens and single digits with very little in the way of snow to insulate the garden, followed by lots of wind during the month of February and into the beginning of March.  It has been within the past week that Mother Nature has thrown the switch for spring to arrive. Welcome to my zone 7B Long Island garden, and join me for a tour!
Hellebore 'Shooting Star'
One of my favorite views in the garden this time of year are the colorful bracts of Hellebore ‘Shooting Star’. The buds started back in January with some blooms in February and they have been somewhat delayed due to the weather, but they are now in full speed ahead for March.
Hellebore 'Merlin'
Hellebore 'Merlin' is just getting its buds and 'Champion' will probably not be blooming until April, but for this gardener it just brings more anticipation and something to look forward to.
Nandina 'Obsession'
While waiting for early blooms, I am still enjoying the colorful foliage of Nandina 'Obsession' against the lime green foliage of Dwarf Cryptomeria...and some signs of spring are upon us!
Hello Hyacinths!
Well, hello Hyacinths! The foliage has surfaced in just the past week and give hope of blooms to follow. 
Kousa Dogwood 'Greensleeves' 
While walking throughout the garden, the bark of Kousa Dogwood 'Greensleeves' really catches the eye. It is not something I have particularly noticed before, but this March it seems to call to me to get a closer look. The bark exfoliating is an adaption for shedding old growth and creating new; hence, strengthening the tree.
Coral Bark Maple
While the garden is waking up, the coral-red bark of Coral Bark Maple 'Sango Kaku' is still vibrant against the deep blue sky and soon the Weigela in the foreground will start to get some new buds.
Crocus!
Slowly but surely, crocus is starting to emerge from its dormancy. I have gardening friends in cooler climates with crocus already blooming, so these are taking their time! I just looked back at the March post from last year  and the crocus were in full bloom. I think the spans of temperatures in the teens and single digits really delayed their growth. Is your (almost spring) garden on time or delayed?
Front Island Bed
Here on the front island bed is the view for March with some signs of new buds on deciduous shrubs and perennials. As mentioned before, the evergreens hold down the fort in winter with their continuing interest.
Holly Berries
The bright red berries of Nellie Stevens Holly are always a treat both for the senses and for the birds...
Weeping White Pine
and something as simple as a single pine cone from Weeping White Pine can be fun to photograph.
Hello Allium 'Globemaster' !
In the same garden bed, Allium 'Globemaster' is emerging on time. I enjoy the pinkish-red tips that border the foliage, with large lavender-purple blooms to follow!
'Low Glow' Pine
Along the patio border is the interesting foliage of Pinus 'Low Glow', which will get even more attractive as it produces new brighter light green clusters, that almost glow. Alongside 'Low Glow' is Juniperus 'Gold Strike' with its deeper winter foliage that will become more golden as the temperatures warm.
More Hellebores!
As we get near the end of our stroll, here is another look at Hellebore 'Shooting Star'. It's creamy-rose blooms and golden yellow stamens make for a wonderful addition to the northern border, and it will continue to bloom through April.
And Indoors...
As the landscape awakens outside, African Violet continues to bloom indoors...
Blooms Continue!
while Thanksgiving Cactus just keeps on giving. I find that by pinching back growth slightly after bloom, new growth emerges and more blooms develop bringing interest right into spring.
Thank you for Visiting!
I hope you enjoyed your visit to my March garden. I so appreciate you being here, look forward to your comments and enjoy seeing what you have growing in your garden. Special thanks go out to our hostess Carol at May Dreams Gardens, who makes it possible to see blooms on the 15th of every month with her meme Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. Also, special thanks to Pam Penick at Digging who had hosted Foliage Follow-Up, a meme I will continue to honor. I am also linking with some other wonderful hosts and hostesses at Floral Friday Fotos, Nature Notes at Rambling WoodsImage-in-ing weekly photo share every Tuesday, Weekly Photo Link-Up at My Corner of the World on Wednesdays and Garden Affair at Jaipur Garden

IN THE NEWS! Celebrating two months since The Houseplant Guide: How to Easily Select & Maintain Indoor Plants came to be! If you are into houseplants, this may be the book for you! I cover over 120 plant selections with full color photographs of each one and detailed descriptions on care and maintenance.

Other Places to Find Me:
You can visit my Author Page to learn about and Purchase My Books , each one focusing on different aspects of gardening, including landscape design principles, gardening by month for all-season interest, gardening tips and maintenance, shade gardening, gardening inspiration and more. And also be sure to check out my newest publication, The Houseplant Guide, to guide you on your houseplant journey!

Check out my newsletter Northeastern Gardening News for monthly updates all to do with gardening! It's free to subscribe and receive monthly updates right into your inbox!


Until we Meet Again...Happy Gardening!

Author: Lee @A Guide to Northeastern Gardening, © Copyright 2010-2025. All rights reserved. 

Saturday, March 1, 2025

For the Love of Gardening: A Gardener's Story

"A Beautiful Garden is a Work of the Heart"

Welcome to This Month in the Garden! I have been feeling a bit nostalgic and with the craziness of the world have been thinking a lot about life in general. It seemed like a good time for some reflection on how I got into gardening in the first place, the events that lead to this blog fifteen years ago this past February, and how writing this blog eventually lead to becoming an author. It all started a long time ago at the age of five and the paths of life led the way. 

"They who Plant Gardens Reap Happiness"

I grew up next door to with a family of five children that became like siblings and their mom had been an avid gardener all her life. She would take me on tours of her collection of blooms and teach me about each one. One day I returned home and asked my mother for seeds and pots so that I could grow some flowers. That lead to future plantings, the planting of my first tree with my dad and a love of gardening and respect for horticulture that grew even more pronounced as I aged. You would find me digging in the dirt planting annuals, perennials and eventually shrubs and trees, and watching them grow as I nurtured them. In my adult years, I had been teaching high school science as a first career and in 1996, I decided to return to school for horticulture and then started up a landscape design business. After retiring from teaching, landscape design has became a second full time career.

"Plays in the Dirt!"
So, how did the blog and books come about? It was after a movie called Julie and Julia back in 2009 (boy that sounds long ago) about a woman who followed Julia Child's recipes and shared her experiences on what she referred to as a blog that blogging soon became popular. After watching the movie, I decided to create my own blog sharing a love of gardening and A Guide to Northeastern Gardening was born in February of 2010. My friends, family and clients would often ask me," How do you remember everything about each plant and how to grow it?" I would reply, "It is a passion, so I remember things." They all insisted that I write it down and kept encouraging me to perhaps write a book for others to learn and to pass along my knowledge. It was in 2015 that I started to write down thoughts as they came to me. 

It all Started a Long Time Ago
In February of 2016, my first book (with a name you will recognize) A Guide to Northeastern Gardening came to be, which expanded the information I had written about in my blog to teach new or experienced gardeners about the basics of garden planning, design and care. Once the first book came out, and with a second career as a landscape designer, I wanted to focus strictly on the concept of landscape design and my second book, Landscape Design Combinations was born. My love of gardening continued to grow, leading to four more books dealing with garden planning, plant selection and maintenance, including one with garden musings and folklore and one all about indoor gardening and houseplants. 
"A Garden Brings Hope"

Gardening both outdoors and in and helping others with their gardening endeavors has become a major portion of my life, is what defines me, and I hope to be able to garden for as long as I am able. I hope you enjoyed my story and I invite you to share your gardening adventures in the comments. As a lifetime gardener with a passion for all things green, there are words that I live by (and which I even named a book after), Dream, Garden, Grow!

I hope you enjoyed This Month in the Garden! Are you a gardener? If so, how did you get into gardening? Have you been a gardener all your life?  I would love to hear your story!


My Author Page & Books

As Always...Happy Gardening!

Author: Lee @A Guide to Northeastern Gardening, © Copyright 2010-2025. All rights reserved. 

Saturday, February 15, 2025

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day & Foliage Follow-Up February: A Wintery Long Island Garden

Welcome!
Welcome! There is something about a winter garden that is magical. After a January with record low temperatures, the month of February has brought a combination of cold windy days, moderately comfortable days and our first significant snowfall overnight on the 8th, followed by more snow on the evening of the 11th, creating a blanket of white upon the landscape. Join me as we embark on a tour of my Long Island garden! You better dress warm!
Winter Landscape: Driveway Border
As we start the tour, Golden Oriental Spruce and Hinoki Cypress are covered with a fresh snowfall, while the bare branches of  Coral Bark Maple alongside them glows a vivid coral-red. The snow always has a way of making the attractive new growth of the Maple glow even brighter.
Nandina 'Obsession'
The winter cold and snow have the same effect on Dwarf  Nandina 'Obsession' as its newer foliage becomes a more vivid pinkish-red. Note: This hybrid form of Nandina is sterile, does not produce seeds or become invasive and it stays at a compact size of just three to four feet at maturity.
Weeping Norway Spruce & Nandina 'Obsession'
Along with Nandina 'Obsession' is Weeping Norway Spruce and joining them is dwarf Cryptomeria...
Nestled in Snow
and all nestled in snow is one of my favorite garden statues, which I get to look out at everyday.
Mature Weeping Norway Spruce
In the back western garden a very mature Weeping Norway Spruce adds some winter interest along with Golden Fernspray Hinoki Cypress. Several yeas ago, one of the main branches of this tree was severely damaged by the weight of heavy snow, but thankfully it has recovered nicely.
Pool Border
Along the pool border is Weeping Japanese Maple 'Red Select', which is one of the more compact varieties of Weeping Japanese Maple. It sits in front of the pool, which now looks like a frozen pond covered with a layer of ice.
Northwestern Border
Along the other side of the pool Spreading Yew, Leucothoe and Sky Pencil Holly are covered in snow... 
Nellie Steven's Holly
while the berries of Nellie Steven's Holly glow bright red in the backdrop and are a feast for the birds.
Patio Border
Along the patio border Garden Gal awaits the days of spring when her planter will come to life...
Pool Border
and as we countdown the days to spring, here is one more view of the waterfall all covered in snow.
Driveway Border
As we move along the driveway border, here is Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar...
Driveway Border
and a closer look at the newer growth of Coral Bark Maple as it glows next to Golden Skyland's Oriental Spruce. The remains of a hornet nest from summer is still hanging on up above.
Evergreen Love!
Have I ever mentioned that I love evergreens? Here are two of my favorites and when combined together they create interest all year long. Variegated Boxwood is in the backdrop while Blue Globe Spruce is in the front. Each is slow growing and can be kept compact to a desired size with some occasional pruning.
Holly Berries Ilex crenata 'Schwoebel' (Upright Japanese Holly)
Here is 'Schwobel' Upright Holly. The berries become a deep purplish-black during the winter months, but note that they are not edible.
All Season Planter
The All-Season planter is on its second winter and doing nicely. On the really cold nights I cover it up with a protective cloth and water it beforehand. We have had a few nights going down into the teens, which the Lemon Cypress does not care for, but I do love its color!
Welcoming Committee
As always, the welcoming committee is here with a warm cup of cocoa, tea or beverage of your choice!...
Hellebore 'Shooting Star' (Lenten Rose)
and the Hellebores (Lenten Rose) are blooming away despite the cold and snow! I do enjoy how Hellebore 'Shooting Star' blooms throughout January and into March with its colorful bracts, with blooms of other varieties of Hellebore to follow.
Hellebore 'Shooting Star' 
As the winter months move along, the indoor garden is doing well with the constant blooms of African Violet and Thanksgiving Cactus. All I do is remove the spent blooms, which pushes energy back into the plant... 
Indoor Garden
and the Thanksgiving Cactus has no idea what season it is, as it just keeps on blooming!  
Indoor Garden
I must admit that my collection of plants has grown immensely throughout the writing of my new book, The Houseplant Guide: How to Easily Select & Maintain Indoor Plants, which just reached one month old! As everyone knows, I refuse to write about a plant unless I have grown it myself or know someone who did! I am also now into rare plants and have had fun growing them, and hubby is supportive, which is a good thing!
Indoor Garden
As I sit near the windowsill, the snow covered garden can be seen from the warm indoors, and life is good.
Indoor Garden
As our stroll through the garden both outdoors and in reaches its end, I hope that you take in a little bit of the garden each day. I know I do and it brings well-being and joy. 
Thank you for Visiting!
I hope you enjoyed your visit to my February garden. I so appreciate you being here, look forward to your comments and enjoy seeing what you have growing in your garden. Special thanks go out to our hostess Carol at May Dreams Gardens, who makes it possible to see blooms on the 15th of every month with her meme Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. Also, special thanks to Pam Penick at Digging who had hosted Foliage Follow-Up, a meme I will continue to honor. I am also linking with some other wonderful hosts and hostesses at Floral Friday Fotos, Nature Notes at Rambling WoodsImage-in-ing weekly photo share every Tuesday, Weekly Photo Link-Up at My Corner of the World on Wednesdays and Garden Affair at Jaipur Garden

MORE NEWS:  A Guide to Northeastern Gardening has been selected as one of the top 100 gardening blogs of 2025...Thank you for including me! 

Other Places to Find Me:
You can visit my Author Page to learn more about and Purchase my Books and be sure to check out my newly published book, The Houseplant Guide: How to Easily Select & Maintain Indoor Plants, which just turned one month old! 

Check out my newsletter Northeastern Gardening News for monthly updates all to do with gardening! It's free and all you need to do is subscribe!


Until we Meet Again...Happy Gardening!

Author: Lee @A Guide to Northeastern Gardening, © Copyright 2010-2025. All rights reserved.