Ball Prunitis, and the Mad Pruner of Surrey

rhubarb93 · Post by **rhubarb93** » 22 Apr 2013, 14:44

On GQT last Sunday I heard pippa Greenwood talking about her disapproval of those members of society (mostly men!) who insist on pruning everything into round shapes.

I have one of those! To make matters worse, when he thinks something is "untidy" he prunes regardless of the time of year or correct method for the plant. As a result, few flowering shrubs get to flower in our garden.

Yesterday I caught him in time to stop him "tidying up" the Hibiscus, which is going to be magnificent in a month or so. He claimed he was "just taking out crossing branches", the correct method for fruit trees and shrubs, but not Hibiscus.

Today our Viburnam came into flower - well some of it did! There is a patch of white on the side and the front is completely bald. The bush is also a very ugly rounded cube shape.

HELP! Anyone got any ideas how to fix this? I have tried politely suggesting he read the garden encyclopaedia for when and how, before he starts cutting things, but he won't listen.

I don't know whether to {rofwl}

,

, or

I mostly get {mr.angry}

these days!

Post by Mo » 22 Apr 2013, 15:46

I should let him prune them - no stopping a man anyway. So draw a chalk line 2" from the ground 'cut here'.
Then plant it up with annuals and bedding plants. Or extra chickens.

freecycle the pruners?

Maggie1 · Post by **Maggie1** » 22 Apr 2013, 16:02

My Viburnum is the same, but our problem is wind. One side is full of beautiful scented flowers but the other side is bare. I tend to leave it and usually it flowers later on.

LittleBrownFrog · Post by **LittleBrownFrog** » 22 Apr 2013, 20:01

Hire him out to people with overgrown gardens! My dh only does what I call 'demolition gardening' - I don't let him near anything he might be able to damage.

Homemade · Post by **Homemade** » 22 Apr 2013, 21:33

Hard to stop that kind of pruner. I spend my work trying to repair that sort of damage. Think you will just have to be propriatorial about your favourites and say " I will prune that one, don't touch it"
I have left gardens when people wouldn't listen - the worst was one where he asked and was told on no account touch the magnolia. I went back to find he had taken a chainsaw to the main branches. The wife said plaintively , "but it will grow back " to which I could only say NO, not in any pretty way.