A snip in time

Winter’s nearly over, and if you haven’t already pruned your roses and other flowering bushes, now is the time to do it for an abundance of blooms in spring and summer.

How much cutting back is needed will depend on the type and age of the plant, but as a general rule make sure you remove dead or diseased wood, clear out branches that will cross or crowd others, and cut away suckers from the base of the plant.

Trimming hedge plants back now will encourage a lush, thicker growth. If the hedge is also your front fence, make sure it does not encroach over the footpath outside.