Remove unsightly or insignificant flowers
Some perennials are worth keeping more for their foliage than for their flowers. The poor
flowers may even detract from the beauty of the foliage, either in their appearance alone or by
causing a decline in the health of the foliage. Such unwanted flowers should be removed from
the plant before the buds open.Clean up the garden
Cutting plants to the ground in the autumn and spring is a significant part of cleaning up the
garden, and most perennials are going to need it either before or after the winter. With certain
species, cutting back before winter not only creates an orderly appearance in the garden, but is
also vital for removing debris that might otherwise harbor insects or disease over the winter.
Species that pose no threat of harboring pests will provide winter interest for humans, and
food and shelter for the birds, and these species can wait to be pruned in the spring.
There is also just the general cleanup needed throughout the season. This might involve the
removal of a few dead leaves from a plant or of browning stems from a clump of fresh green
ones. It could be the cleaning out of an area around the base of a plant to make room for its
seeds to drop. There is tidying up to be done in the garden at almost any time of year, including
in winter when a little time spent in the garden is a welcome change.Bond with your plants
Pruning is a form of meditation for me. I find it very relaxing to go out into my gardens,
sometimes just for some light snipping, other times getting into major shearing, depending on
how I’m feeling. It connects me with my plants. I can see who’s sending up new growth or
flower buds or forming intriguing seedheads. In my country garden pruning connects me with
nature, as the bees, hummingbirds, butterflies, chickadees, wrens, bluebirds, frogs, toads, and
hawks carry on with their world around me. In my clients’ gardens I feel like I know more
about what is going on after close inspection and caring for the gardens. This renewed sense of
good health, that all is well in this sometimes crazy world, can’t help but make you feel alive.
I’m sure that if I could prove this effect of pruning and gardening in general, I could go on
the road with a bestseller and a prescription for good health: along with eating sensibly and
aerobic workouts, prune your perennials at least 3 times a week—for mental and physical
well-being!Benefits to the landscape industry
A well-pruned perennial garden obviously is going to look and perform better than one that is
not well tended, even if pruning may not be identified as the improving factor to the untrained
eye. If you are a landscape or garden contractor, I would suggest that you not install perennial
gardens unless you or someone you trust plans on maintaining them. Your reputation rests on
how the gardens look. A neglected perennial garden is not a picture for the portfolio. If the
client chooses to do his or her own maintenance, you should provide specifications on the
proper maintenance of the garden, especially the pruning requirements, species by species
(perhaps a copy of this book would be helpful!). Follow up with several visits to answer any
questions on-site with your clients, and be certain they understand the maintenance require-
ments. If your work looks good and your clients are happy, then you will be happy and
rewarded with numerous referrals.TYPES OF PRUNING
Pruning takes a variety of forms in varying regularity and at various times of year. Cutting
back during the summer can be done before or after flowering, or both. Deadheading is a
constant throughout the season. Pinching and thinning and disbudding are performed less
frequently, but still must be part of the program. Deadleafing is frequently done in late92 PruninG Perennials