Plants to prune this weekend to 'encourage second flush' of flowers in summer

Pruning plants, and trees can stimulate longer flowering periods and new growth. Timing is key when it comes to pruning, and May is an ideal month for many plants as they have either finished flowering or are just about to start.

However, May is also a prime time for nesting, so ensure you're not disturbing any nests before you start pruning this weekend.

Choisya

Hillier centre suggests cutting back the stems by 30cm immediately after spring flowering. They believe this will "encourage a second flush" of blooms later in the year. If the growth appears weak, cut back up to a third, but always check for nests first and delay if you find one.

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Hibiscus

Hiller garden centre advises that young plants should be pruned hard in late spring, ready for the new flowering season.

However, established plants will need minimal pruning at this time of year, reports .

When pruning hibiscus plants, they should be cut back by about a third, leaving at least two to three nodes on the branches for new growth.

Clematis

The RHS advises: "Prune overcrowded, dead or diseased stems of Clematis Montana once it has finished flowering.

"Untangling the stems can be fiddly, but once you see where you are cutting, you need not worry about pruning this plant, it will take even hard cutting back very well."

Lavender

Depending on the variety, Lavender can be pruned at different times of the year, but May is often a good time. There are a couple of popular varieties of lavender commonly cultivated in the UK, including English and French.

Both will require pruning, but the English variety tends to be more robust, meaning it can be left outside all year round. Pruning lavender plants will promote better blooming and ensure they don't become spindly and frail.