This year was the first that I didn't cut everything back in autumn and was rewarded with finches in the teasels and evening primrose and tons of ladybirds hibernating in old stalks and flower heads. Will have to get some verbena it looks lovely. Sod the neighbours let's have untidy gardens full of wildlife! Great video. I've left my cutting back a little longer as we've been warned of some bad weather to come. Spring has definitely sprung. Everything is growing!
I may well take your first sentence here and use it on the website! Absolutely great advertising for the rewards that come from thinking twice about wildlife when gardening :) So pleased you had these visitors and the grateful creatures you gave refuge to. Best wishes - Joel
She's a handful George, but already the apple of my eye (I try to remember this when she's destroyed something else on a daily basis!) - hope you're doing ok, best wishes - Joel
Not only is cutting back perennials therapeutic, but watching Wild Your Garden videos is as well. Or at least very relaxing! Plus added value for non-native speakers: one will learn some useful vocabulary and phrases! :) Thanks for it, Joel!
Thank you Ján, so much - your kind words mean a lot and I am so glad that you found the channel and that it is helpful to you - can I guess right that you are based somewhere in Eastern Europe? 😁 Best wishes to you and yours wherever you are, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Hi Joel! Yes, that's right and it's okay to ask - I'm not a former KGB agent, I have nothing to hide. 😆 Actually, the caron and acute accent in my name give away my origin: I live in Slovakia, a country east of the Czech Republic and Austria (my home is about 140 km/83 miles east of Vienna - off topic sidenote: if you remember the opening battle scene in the film Gladiator, these wars took place around here, north of our stretch of the Danube). To give you an idea of what it's like here, we're in zone 6b, although winters are rarely severe, we have rather good soils, and increasingly hotter and longer heatwaves in the summer. In the lowlands there are wheat and sunflower fields, vineyards, peach and apple orchards. There are oak and beech forests in the hills (wild cats and purple emperors are not uncommon). I wish you much inspiration in all your work. Keep making videos and I´ll keep learning and relaxing. 👍 😉
@@jansoltes971 🤣Well, my first laugh of the day was because of someone in Slovakia! It sounds absolutely wonderful where you are and your mention of Purple Emperors has only intrigued me further, although we have them here it's pretty rare to find them at ground level, although I have managed to capture them on film once or twice over many years. I do indeed remember those opening scenes and at first wondering how they managed to make it look so authentic! 👀Now I know, so I have learned something new today as well. Thank you so much for your support and kind words Ján - I really appreciate it. Have a great day and when I make it to Slovakia (which is now also on my list!) I will be sure to let you know. Take good care - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Yeah, there is this image of Eastern Europeans as thugs, right?😉 I remember watching Purple Emperors around pools on tracks in forests as a kid when we were on our Sunday family hikes. What is also typical and I have experienced myself, they can sit on you when you sweat (you definitely do when hiking!). This is consistent with what one can find about their biology: "It only goes down to find moisture, honeydew bushes, or excrement". In other words, I love being a piece of sh*t to these creatures! 😆 Anyway, while their numbers are said to be higher the further east you go in Europe, they're still pretty illusive here too. And so it is always a great pleasure to capture them on film or photo, which I admire very much. As for Slovakia, let me tell you that my sister lives in Cheshire and her English husband and three children love to spend their holidays here: in summer it's castles, medieval towns, mountains, caves, even folklore festivals and certainly water parks (there are many of them and most, if not all of them, have areas for small children). Winter is all about winter sports in the mountains. And it's still very affordable, I believe, although prices are going up here too. So you're definitely welcome and I'd be pleased to give you specific advice on where to go and what to see. And if I'm home (not working abroad), I'd be happy to accompany you on any trip if that might help you to get to know the country. I also recommended it to a lady when I was working at a topiary nursery near Newbury in Berkshire years ago and in fact she went skiing here and loved it! My final recommendation: you can combine your Slovakia trip with a visit to Prague if you haven't already been there. It's famously beautiful and rightly so. All the best and hope to see you here someday! Jan
Great video. I agree it looks very satisfying cutting those old stems and revealing what looks like a new plant. Also your dog is adorable and clearly loves a cuddle.
As a bit of a tidy freak I’ve been itching to cut back the perennials. Glad I resisted the urge to do so but it’s now the number one job for this weekend 😀🐝
Hi Mark - so glad to hear this, I do know what you mean about seeing them "scraggly" and wanting to expose the new growth though :) This coming weekend seems a perfect time to do it, enjoy itching that scratch! Best wishes - Joel
Ooh I have secateur envy 😍 Luna stole the show lol.....I have a pal with a Malinois, he is called Officer Ajax, as he is a retired police dog.......stunning breed. Got snow just now, so the pruning will have to wait another week 😜
Yes I had the same envy for years before I invested! I’m afraid she might just steal the show with every video she’s in - can’t compete with her! 😆 They certainly are very intelligent and trustworthy. She’s never more than 5-10 yards from me when we are out walking. We’ve had some testing weather today that’s for sure! Just about to post about the day’s events! Thanks Lynn
Love the video Joel, those Felco secateurs are brilliant bits of kit I have the No:2’s and use them all the time. I also have camellia oil to put on the blades between uses which helps to stop passing on diseases between plants. It would be great to have a tour of the greenhouse at some point when your plants are all coming into bloom etc. thanks for taking the time to show people how perennials should be cut back properly 😊💪🏻
They are indeed, glad you have some too and a great model, I must admit you've taught me something today re the Camelia oil! As soon as I get a chance to get the greenhouse a little tidier (it's been used for storing plant and machinery in one corner lately!) I will be sure to do an update video and when the plants are looking their best - thanks ever so much for your support, best wishes - Joel
That one was about the THIRD take too! In the end I gave up and thought it best to include her as time was running out, hence my exasperation at the beginning of this final one! ;) Hope you and yours are doing well - great to hear from you, best wishes, Joel
Glad you managed to get the pruning done with your 'help'. I will be out doing some this weekend (weather permitting) my Verbena are growing away nicely.too.
Great time to do it Keith, and I got everything done eventually, although "biting" the water that comes out of the end of the hose seems to be the new pastime! (For her, not me!) - Best wishes, Joel
❤️ the video. I’m hoping that purple clover 🍀 in a 🪴 in my back garden will come back this year. My hubby John tided it & it looks 👍🏻 so hopefully it’ll come back nicely. Lovely 😊 Luna
Nice video, doesn't look difficult at all to prune these plants. You only have to know how and where to prune and that's it. I loved the early spring weather, but sadly we have some frost and snow coming this early April. I made some preparations and covered my tulips who are having buds coming out in bloom. And put my adopted hydrangeas in the shed and utility room. Somewhere I'm so glad that I didn't finished the mortar tub pond yet with plants and all. I had dug the hole initially without paving in the bottom. But I was insecure if it would be sturdy enough later in season with heavy rain fall. So I decided dug out some more soil and layed the paving like planned. My mind is a lot more at ease now. Early march I also seeded some seeds including verbena, but they haven't come up yet. I only have the warmth of my fish tank and the sun when it's nice out. Would it be wise to invest in a heat mat for under my plant incubator? I want to give our local wildlife some verbena to eat on this season so bad.
Hi Titia, sorry to hear about the bad weather approaching, we had a few days of warm weather and it encouraged some butterflies to emerge, only to be followed by colder weather and now rain in my area, but they somehow manage to survive :) Verbena do take a while to germinate so don't give up hope yet, a little heat won't do any harm but give it a week or so more before investing and you may be pleasantly surprised - best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton thank you. A part of my foxgloves and purpurea cone flower plant started germinating and growing. But sadly not all of them. The verbena and delphinium didn't visibly germinated yet. I used potting soil underneath and compost on top. The last one might be a bit heavy and not that of an ideal option, but I tried to use what I had🤞🏻 I'm also considering transplanting my hollyhocks in the backyard border into a pot. I discovered a hibernating snail and the leaves are constantly being nibbled at. It doesn't get proper time to grow long and beautiful. What is a good way to combat some snails?
I did make a bit of a start as the warm weather was such an invite into the garden but mainly we’ve been watching the Hairy-Footed flower bees and the beautiful Buff-tailed queens searching the garden for potential nesting sites. All the years of gardening and I had my first pair of Felcos this Christmas from my husband. They’re definitely superior to the many ones I’ve had in the past. Great tips Joel. Luna is a beautiful distraction 😁
Thank you Tracey - yep, as usual we are tempted by the warmer weather (the butterflies are too!) and then we get colder temperatures and, for me here, rain yesterday and today! Better weather is surely on it's way though and how fantastic that you've seen these two beautiful species of bee, I bet they're very grateful for your garden. Well done husband on the Christmas present too! Best wishes, Joel
Thanks for this video! I didn't cut down my perennials last fall because I heard it provides space for insect to over winter. It's nice to know when to get that outta the way.
Hey Francis, you're very welcome :) You may have heard me mention a fair few times that leaving the dead "stuff" over winter allows refuge for many creatures and because you thought about this you'll have many visitors this year - best wishes, Joel
Just started cutting down my sedums and others this last week. Another benefit of leaving the seed heads is how they look with snow on them during winter ( zone 5 central Indiana)
We were due to start digging the pond about half an hour ago; funny you should mention it! However it is now SNOWING here in SW France ! So think we will leave it for a few days!!!! Great video Joel because pruning and cutting back is one of the things I really do struggle with.
Thanks Deborah - yep, several days of snow here too. Hopefully it's passed by now and you're set for the pond this weekend - sunny skies here today :) Best wishes, Joel
I was glad to learn years ago about leaving the flower stalks with the seeds for the birds and have been enjoying all kinds of Finches and Juncos and Chickadees through our PNW winters ever since. Thank you for another informative video, Joel. Have really been enjoying them.
Hi Linda, another great advertisement for showing that leaving these seeds can make the garden interesting in winter too, not just aesthetically of course but with the added bonus of our feathered friends and other creatures finding refuge over the colder months. So glad you're enjoying the channel, I really appreciate your support - best wishes, Joel
The local cats prune the nepeta in my garden. Going to cut my verbena to the ground as you suggest to encourage growth from the base. Sedum was left over the winter but was cut down early March. You must be so busy doing everything yourself. Well done. 🌿
Sorry to hear about your Nepeta! The local cats here try their best to decimate my bird population, thankfully Luna is getting quite territorial and should help deter them. However, there are a few plants that are renowned to keep cats away, some are Lavender, Rosemary, Curry-Herb Plant and of course the "Scaredy Cat" Plant (or Coleus canina) - hope this helps. I do have a little help, aside from Luna and I couldn't manage it all without Nikki and Jodie too :) Best wishes Elizabeth - Joel
Another great video Joel, I have been chopping back for several customers today along with cutting out the old dead wood in the hydrangeas etc. If anyone is considering purchasing secateurs I can say Niwaki are a great choice if you got a few quid to spend and will last you a lifetime, same for shears and loppers etc.
Thanks Steve :) Yes, Niwaki.. absolutely but I find anything made in Japan is made to last and of the highest quality and craftsmanship. I've had my Felco (Swiss-made so again real quality) for around 8-10 years now I think and they've never let me down, it really does pay to buy quality and buy once though, well done on leaving the pruning until now - best wishes, Joel
Loving Luna joel what a dog ❤️ and thanks you’ve just reminded me I need to cut my verbena back I also cut my buddlia back for the first time last year and it grew back twice the size so it just shows the benefits of pruning the plants thanks again 🐸💚🐸
Hey! Thank you, so glad your buddleja came back bigger than before, it definitely promotes stronger and healthier growth, although with one of mine as you may have seen, I have let it do it's own thing, as they would in the wild without human intervention of course, this is mainly because it provides safe haven for the sparrows from the sparrow hawk! Luna is certainly a handful - best wishes, Joel
I'm still working on the cutting back - so much to do - I've done one buddleia. I'll leave the other one a little bit long to prolong the flowering period in the garden . One of the nest boxes that was put up last Monday has got bluetits taking moss in. I raked part of the lawn and left some loose moss to dry on top. I've been watching Gardeners World on catch up. There are some wonderful gardens on there. There's a chiff chaff calling from the silver birch tree in the next but one garden. You think Luna is lively. Next doors dog - also called Luna - can scale the 6 foot fence into our garden!
That's great re the Blue Tits and well done for leaving some moss :) Yes... Luna's breed... before collecting her I did my research... imagine my face when I watched this video about Belgian Mallinois! ua-cam.com/video/orAGU04T0rc/v-deo.html Too late now! haha - it's how you train a dog though... best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Hi Joel the daffodil bulbs have arrived. It says plant immediately on the box but it's snowing/haling outside Ha Ha😁 I'll wait a few minutes I think! Not sure what breed next doors dog is but she climbs trees as well!
Great tutorial Joel, well done mate. Tell you though, you're brave balancing your phone on some ladders 😁 As an update, emails have tonight been sent to all relevant agencies regarding Bourne Woods. I would have done it earlier, but I had to get one of our dogs to the vet this morning and I've got the same tomorrow with one of our cats. Will keep you updated on emails 👍
Yes - it was rather nerve-wracking having it balanced with Luna adding to the angst! ;) I'd done about three takes prior to just letting it "roll" due to her incessant interference! Thanks so much re the emails, I've had some fantastic support from genuinely concerned people and will be responding to all shortly and of course keeping everyone updated via another video etc - many thanks Mick, and best wishes - hope all was ok at the vets - Joel
@@micksmusicchannel thanks mate. I did see them, just been really busy at work today. Will reply soon mate. Thanks for all your efforts and support on this 😊👍
Love all of those flowers, especially the verbena. You reminded me I want move my sedum, think I'll get on that as we're looking at another 3 days of rain ~~~sigh~~~
It's raining here too - the Verbena Bonariensis is such a great plant, it's perfect for anywhere in a border as it's so "fine" that it allows other plants to catch the sun and of course it's benefit for pollinators is pretty unbeatable - you'll be rewarded! Best wishes - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton I enlarged a flowerbed last autumn, I've sown all flowers that will attract as many pollinators as possible. Watching your advice has been a help in that.
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton I'm not on any social media that I can share pix on. I gave up facebook 8 yrs ago, and instagram before that. I rarely look at twitter but searched you and you aren't there.
@@itsmewende Hi Wende. I’m on Twitter as “Joel Ashton” and Wild Your Garden. The same on Instagram. Don’t worry though - I’m pretty active on UA-cam 😉👍 All the best. Joel
Depends whether it's a shrub or herbaceous plant really - do you mean you can't see it returning or you can see stems but they look dead? With a lot of shrubs I usually just light scrape a tiny piece of a branch with my fingernail and you'll be able to tell if it's alive underneath this... let me know what plant it is and I might be able to help :) Best wishes, Joel
@@folee_edge If you're still unsure, particularly if they're finer stems then do bend them slightly and if they snap off then of course they're dead but if they show resistance at all then there's a safe betting they'll be coming back soon :)
Hi Jamie, they should be fine - remember if they're native they're used to being scattered naturally and then hunkering down over winter in the harshest of weathers, no one interferes and covers them over, it would obviously make a difference though if they were already delicate seedlings but the frosts should be long gone before then. Hope this helps - best wishes, Joel
Absolutely it is Rob - I absolutely love seeing Euphorbia (or Wood Spurge) in borders with it's citrus green, and it's vital for many pollinators. Lucky you! Best wishes, Joel
@@phedrob3735 Thank you! Do you know, seriously, I am not sure I have any in my garden at the moment, so many plants and I can't remember where I saw one last year or whether it was in a client's garden! You're clearly more green-fingered than me! 👀😄
Thank you for such a helpful video. May I just ask, is it not too early to be cutting back dead stems etc? Given that there will probably be more frosts ahead, isn't it a good idea to leave dead material for overwintering creatures? (I'm in Oxfordshire - last frost date some time in May.) Don't get me wrong, I'd love to tidy up the garden, but... isn't it a bit early?
Hi Phil :) Absolutely, if there is any indication of frosts (or snow) then creatures will still be overwintering, I feel for the butterflies that were out in abundance a few weeks ago due to the warmer weather and sunshine and next thing they're faced with snow flurries. It's always a good idea to ensure frosts really are "out of the way", leaving the cut deadwood/stems in a pile would be a good idea if these have already been cut so that insects etc can find refuge for a little longer. Mine are ok of course as they're in a greenhouse but I just wanted to show the method for others and the importance of leaving this dead material as you so rightly point out :) Best wishes, glad the video was helpful - Joel
? Please any idea, Joel, how to rewild a garden whilst discouraging rats? Our neighbours have rats and adamantly say that our 'untidy' garden is to blame.
Hi there - really sorry to hear about your neighbours. A few things to consider here... are you growing fruits/vegetables? If so, rats can be attracted to these (natural food of course) - are you leaving bird seed etc on the floor for any period if you are feeding the birds from feeders at all? This will of course also encourage rats. It's very rare that a garden for "wildlife" will attract rats, more than any other garden would - compost bins are the usual culprits in attracting rats too. If your neighbours have any of these or are growing vegetables, feeding the birds then they might want to get their own house in order first ;) Don't get me wrong, wildlife gardens will attract wildlife with the right set-up, planting etc and of course wildlife means rats too, but then wouldn't the whole countryside be over-run with rats if natural environments were the cause, rather than the urban areas they're often found in? It's usually food waste they're after and they're not fussy about nesting under anyone's garden shed, even if the rest of the garden is spick-and-span. Hope this helps with your argument - best wishes, Joel
Regarding bird seed on the ground attracting rats. The birds do chuck a lot around so I now hang plastic hanging baskets under the seed feeders to catch any seed that falls. The birds spend a lot of time dipping in and out of the baskets too.
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Hi Joel, many thanks. We have not used the compost bin or bird table. I threw a robin and some blackbirds seeds twice but that was before the apparent outbreak (never again haha). Our compost bin we inherited from prior tenants and is sealed and unused. We don't grow any vegetables but have planted some wildflower meadow areas. They commissioned an exterminator who inspected our garden too and said it was fine. Now they have commissioned poisoning which obviously has ramifications for other creatures, and natural predators like foxes, and domestic cats. The neighbours do grow vegetables and a few have feeders. But there is a recurrent theme even in online info they look up - that 'harbourage' is to blame ie plants, but as you say the countryside is less replete than urban areas and has less harbourage. They also contest us installing a pond or keeping areas rewilded for fear of encouraging rats so it's quite a quagmire. Anyway, many thanks, it's been hard to get solid info. Great channel! I hope to be creating a pond after ratgate! :)
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton or your OCD hubby trying to shame your garden with: oh your sister in law's garden is so much tidier. One just rolles ones eyes after 50 years of the same. Yes, I do the garden, he cleans the house 🤗.
Sometimes she is! Depending on her behaviour! ;) She was another rescue, her parents are both "in security" and they had a litter, all sold except her as the owners wanted to keep just one of course. However, shortly after their landlord decided to sell and it was difficult enough finding another rental property that allowed dogs. I feel as blessed as her really though, she's amusing although I'm fully aware of what a handful she will be. 9 months old at the moment, and I feel about 90 after 10 minutes with her! ;) Thanks Lianne - best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton I am an extreme dog lover, I have had dogs for about 30 years now. I can tell she is something special, especially the bond she is already having with you being only 9 months old is amazing. She will be an even more amazing dog when she is an adult. Give her gentle belly rubs from me !
Make noise in the background BE distracted by your 'nother family member, not hyperactive, just well, .. 'nother. We HEAR you. SEE you. We receive your message and thank you for it, while LiFE HAPPENs around you.
This year was the first that I didn't cut everything back in autumn and was rewarded with finches in the teasels and evening primrose and tons of ladybirds hibernating in old stalks and flower heads. Will have to get some verbena it looks lovely. Sod the neighbours let's have untidy gardens full of wildlife! Great video. I've left my cutting back a little longer as we've been warned of some bad weather to come. Spring has definitely sprung. Everything is growing!
I may well take your first sentence here and use it on the website! Absolutely great advertising for the rewards that come from thinking twice about wildlife when gardening :) So pleased you had these visitors and the grateful creatures you gave refuge to. Best wishes - Joel
Luna is such a lovable cheeky dog.
Thanks for the uptake Joel 👌🏻
She's a handful George, but already the apple of my eye (I try to remember this when she's destroyed something else on a daily basis!) - hope you're doing ok, best wishes - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton All good thank you Joel.
They say the golden rule for dogs to settle is around two years old 😊
@@george-1961 Gulp....
Not only is cutting back perennials therapeutic, but watching Wild Your Garden videos is as well. Or at least very relaxing!
Plus added value for non-native speakers: one will learn some useful vocabulary and phrases! :) Thanks for it, Joel!
Thank you Ján, so much - your kind words mean a lot and I am so glad that you found the channel and that it is helpful to you - can I guess right that you are based somewhere in Eastern Europe? 😁 Best wishes to you and yours wherever you are, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Hi Joel! Yes, that's right and it's okay to ask - I'm not a former KGB agent, I have nothing to hide. 😆 Actually, the caron and acute accent in my name give away my origin:
I live in Slovakia, a country east of the Czech Republic and Austria (my home is about 140 km/83 miles east of Vienna - off topic sidenote: if you remember the opening battle scene in the film Gladiator, these wars took place around here, north of our stretch of the Danube).
To give you an idea of what it's like here, we're in zone 6b, although winters are rarely severe, we have rather good soils, and increasingly hotter and longer heatwaves in the summer. In the lowlands there are wheat and sunflower fields, vineyards, peach and apple orchards. There are oak and beech forests in the hills (wild cats and purple emperors are not uncommon).
I wish you much inspiration in all your work. Keep making videos and I´ll keep learning and relaxing. 👍
😉
@@jansoltes971 🤣Well, my first laugh of the day was because of someone in Slovakia! It sounds absolutely wonderful where you are and your mention of Purple Emperors has only intrigued me further, although we have them here it's pretty rare to find them at ground level, although I have managed to capture them on film once or twice over many years. I do indeed remember those opening scenes and at first wondering how they managed to make it look so authentic! 👀Now I know, so I have learned something new today as well. Thank you so much for your support and kind words Ján - I really appreciate it. Have a great day and when I make it to Slovakia (which is now also on my list!) I will be sure to let you know. Take good care - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton It sound lovely there. Thank you for sharing
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Yeah, there is this image of Eastern Europeans as thugs, right?😉
I remember watching Purple Emperors around pools on tracks in forests as a kid when we were on our Sunday family hikes. What is also typical and I have experienced myself, they can sit on you when you sweat (you definitely do when hiking!). This is consistent with what one can find about their biology: "It only goes down to find moisture, honeydew bushes, or excrement". In other words, I love being a piece of sh*t to these creatures! 😆 Anyway, while their numbers are said to be higher the further east you go in Europe, they're still pretty illusive here too. And so it is always a great pleasure to capture them on film or photo, which I admire very much.
As for Slovakia, let me tell you that my sister lives in Cheshire and her English husband and three children love to spend their holidays here: in summer it's castles, medieval towns, mountains, caves, even folklore festivals and certainly water parks (there are many of them and most, if not all of them, have areas for small children). Winter is all about winter sports in the mountains. And it's still very affordable, I believe, although prices are going up here too. So you're definitely welcome and I'd be pleased to give you specific advice on where to go and what to see. And if I'm home (not working abroad), I'd be happy to accompany you on any trip if that might help you to get to know the country. I also recommended it to a lady when I was working at a topiary nursery near Newbury in Berkshire years ago and in fact she went skiing here and loved it! My final recommendation: you can combine your Slovakia trip with a visit to Prague if you haven't already been there. It's famously beautiful and rightly so.
All the best and hope to see you here someday! Jan
Great video. I agree it looks very satisfying cutting those old stems and revealing what looks like a new plant. Also your dog is adorable and clearly loves a cuddle.
Hi Catherine - thank you, glad this was helpful :) Luna loves a cuddle for sure, but equally loves "tidying up" the greenhouse! ;) Best wishes - Joel
As a bit of a tidy freak I’ve been itching to cut back the perennials. Glad I resisted the urge to do so but it’s now the number one job for this weekend 😀🐝
Hi Mark - so glad to hear this, I do know what you mean about seeing them "scraggly" and wanting to expose the new growth though :) This coming weekend seems a perfect time to do it, enjoy itching that scratch! Best wishes - Joel
Very helpful Joel, I'll let the Head Gardener see it in the hopes the habits of a lifetime can be 'reviewed'.
🤣 Good luck Sir! Thank you Norman
Ooh I have secateur envy 😍
Luna stole the show lol.....I have a pal with a Malinois, he is called Officer Ajax, as he is a retired police dog.......stunning breed.
Got snow just now, so the pruning will have to wait another week 😜
Yes I had the same envy for years before I invested! I’m afraid she might just steal the show with every video she’s in - can’t compete with her! 😆 They certainly are very intelligent and trustworthy. She’s never more than 5-10 yards from me when we are out walking. We’ve had some testing weather today that’s for sure! Just about to post about the day’s events! Thanks Lynn
Love the video Joel, those Felco secateurs are brilliant bits of kit I have the No:2’s and use them all the time. I also have camellia oil to put on the blades between uses which helps to stop passing on diseases between plants. It would be great to have a tour of the greenhouse at some point when your plants are all coming into bloom etc. thanks for taking the time to show people how perennials should be cut back properly 😊💪🏻
They are indeed, glad you have some too and a great model, I must admit you've taught me something today re the Camelia oil! As soon as I get a chance to get the greenhouse a little tidier (it's been used for storing plant and machinery in one corner lately!) I will be sure to do an update video and when the plants are looking their best - thanks ever so much for your support, best wishes - Joel
Great video Joel,, I was crying with laughter at the dog 😂
That one was about the THIRD take too! In the end I gave up and thought it best to include her as time was running out, hence my exasperation at the beginning of this final one! ;) Hope you and yours are doing well - great to hear from you, best wishes, Joel
Glad you managed to get the pruning done with your 'help'. I will be out doing some this weekend (weather permitting) my Verbena are growing away nicely.too.
Great time to do it Keith, and I got everything done eventually, although "biting" the water that comes out of the end of the hose seems to be the new pastime! (For her, not me!) - Best wishes, Joel
❤️ the video. I’m hoping that purple clover 🍀 in a 🪴 in my back garden will come back this year. My hubby John tided it & it looks 👍🏻 so hopefully it’ll come back nicely. Lovely 😊 Luna
Hi Janie, so good to hear this, you'll have many grateful bees for sure :) Best wishes to you and John - Joel
Nice video, doesn't look difficult at all to prune these plants. You only have to know how and where to prune and that's it. I loved the early spring weather, but sadly we have some frost and snow coming this early April. I made some preparations and covered my tulips who are having buds coming out in bloom. And put my adopted hydrangeas in the shed and utility room. Somewhere I'm so glad that I didn't finished the mortar tub pond yet with plants and all. I had dug the hole initially without paving in the bottom. But I was insecure if it would be sturdy enough later in season with heavy rain fall. So I decided dug out some more soil and layed the paving like planned. My mind is a lot more at ease now. Early march I also seeded some seeds including verbena, but they haven't come up yet. I only have the warmth of my fish tank and the sun when it's nice out. Would it be wise to invest in a heat mat for under my plant incubator? I want to give our local wildlife some verbena to eat on this season so bad.
Hi Titia, sorry to hear about the bad weather approaching, we had a few days of warm weather and it encouraged some butterflies to emerge, only to be followed by colder weather and now rain in my area, but they somehow manage to survive :) Verbena do take a while to germinate so don't give up hope yet, a little heat won't do any harm but give it a week or so more before investing and you may be pleasantly surprised - best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton thank you. A part of my foxgloves and purpurea cone flower plant started germinating and growing. But sadly not all of them. The verbena and delphinium didn't visibly germinated yet. I used potting soil underneath and compost on top. The last one might be a bit heavy and not that of an ideal option, but I tried to use what I had🤞🏻 I'm also considering transplanting my hollyhocks in the backyard border into a pot. I discovered a hibernating snail and the leaves are constantly being nibbled at. It doesn't get proper time to grow long and beautiful. What is a good way to combat some snails?
Really well explained.👍✅
Thanks Helen, glad this was helpful - best wishes, Joel
I did make a bit of a start as the warm weather was such an invite into the garden but mainly we’ve been watching the Hairy-Footed flower bees and the beautiful Buff-tailed queens searching the garden for potential nesting sites. All the years of gardening and I had my first pair of Felcos this Christmas from my husband. They’re definitely superior to the many ones I’ve had in the past. Great tips Joel. Luna is a beautiful distraction 😁
Thank you Tracey - yep, as usual we are tempted by the warmer weather (the butterflies are too!) and then we get colder temperatures and, for me here, rain yesterday and today! Better weather is surely on it's way though and how fantastic that you've seen these two beautiful species of bee, I bet they're very grateful for your garden. Well done husband on the Christmas present too! Best wishes, Joel
Very therapeutic indeed Joel. I'm am away from home at the moment and catching up with your uploads when I can 👍😊
Hey Paul, hope that's because you're taking a well deserved break :) Catch up soon, best wishes as always - Joel
Thanks for this video! I didn't cut down my perennials last fall because I heard it provides space for insect to over winter. It's nice to know when to get that outta the way.
Hey Francis, you're very welcome :) You may have heard me mention a fair few times that leaving the dead "stuff" over winter allows refuge for many creatures and because you thought about this you'll have many visitors this year - best wishes, Joel
Just started cutting down my sedums and others this last week. Another benefit of leaving the seed heads is how they look with snow on them during winter ( zone 5 central Indiana)
Hey Becky - a great point re the aesthetics and interest during the winter :) Thank you, best wishes - Joel
We were due to start digging the pond about half an hour ago; funny you should mention it!
However it is now SNOWING here in SW France !
So think we will leave it for a few days!!!!
Great video Joel because pruning and cutting back is one of the things I really do struggle with.
Thanks Deborah - yep, several days of snow here too. Hopefully it's passed by now and you're set for the pond this weekend - sunny skies here today :) Best wishes, Joel
I have my grandmother's felco secateurs so they must be many years old. They need a service so I'll hopefully send them off this autumn 🤗
Your grandmother had good taste and sense it seems ;) Glad you enjoyed this Brefne, best wishes - Joel
I was glad to learn years ago about leaving the flower stalks with the seeds for the birds and have been enjoying all kinds of Finches and Juncos and Chickadees through our PNW winters ever since. Thank you for another informative video, Joel. Have really been enjoying them.
Hi Linda, another great advertisement for showing that leaving these seeds can make the garden interesting in winter too, not just aesthetically of course but with the added bonus of our feathered friends and other creatures finding refuge over the colder months. So glad you're enjoying the channel, I really appreciate your support - best wishes, Joel
The local cats prune the nepeta in my garden. Going to cut my verbena to the ground as you suggest to encourage growth from the base. Sedum was left over the winter but was cut down early March. You must be so busy doing everything yourself. Well done. 🌿
Sorry to hear about your Nepeta! The local cats here try their best to decimate my bird population, thankfully Luna is getting quite territorial and should help deter them. However, there are a few plants that are renowned to keep cats away, some are Lavender, Rosemary, Curry-Herb Plant and of course the "Scaredy Cat" Plant (or Coleus canina) - hope this helps. I do have a little help, aside from Luna and I couldn't manage it all without Nikki and Jodie too :) Best wishes Elizabeth - Joel
Another great video Joel, I have been chopping back for several customers today along with cutting out the old dead wood in the hydrangeas etc. If anyone is considering purchasing secateurs I can say Niwaki are a great choice if you got a few quid to spend and will last you a lifetime, same for shears and loppers etc.
Thanks Steve :) Yes, Niwaki.. absolutely but I find anything made in Japan is made to last and of the highest quality and craftsmanship. I've had my Felco (Swiss-made so again real quality) for around 8-10 years now I think and they've never let me down, it really does pay to buy quality and buy once though, well done on leaving the pruning until now - best wishes, Joel
Loving Luna joel what a dog ❤️ and thanks you’ve just reminded me I need to cut my verbena back I also cut my buddlia back for the first time last year and it grew back twice the size so it just shows the benefits of pruning the plants thanks again 🐸💚🐸
Hey! Thank you, so glad your buddleja came back bigger than before, it definitely promotes stronger and healthier growth, although with one of mine as you may have seen, I have let it do it's own thing, as they would in the wild without human intervention of course, this is mainly because it provides safe haven for the sparrows from the sparrow hawk! Luna is certainly a handful - best wishes, Joel
I'm still working on the cutting back - so much to do - I've done one buddleia. I'll leave the other one a little bit long to prolong the flowering period in the garden . One of the nest boxes that was put up last Monday has got bluetits taking moss in. I raked part of the lawn and left some loose moss to dry on top. I've been watching Gardeners World on catch up. There are some wonderful gardens on there. There's a chiff chaff calling from the silver birch tree in the next but one garden. You think Luna is lively. Next doors dog - also called Luna - can scale the 6 foot fence into our garden!
That's great re the Blue Tits and well done for leaving some moss :) Yes... Luna's breed... before collecting her I did my research... imagine my face when I watched this video about Belgian Mallinois!
ua-cam.com/video/orAGU04T0rc/v-deo.html
Too late now! haha - it's how you train a dog though... best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Hi Joel the daffodil bulbs have arrived. It says plant immediately on the box but it's snowing/haling outside Ha Ha😁 I'll wait a few minutes I think! Not sure what breed next doors dog is but she climbs trees as well!
@@brownfamily3218 excellent! Don’t get frostbite planting them! Interesting re the neighbours’ dog…🤔
Great tutorial Joel, well done mate. Tell you though, you're brave balancing your phone on some ladders 😁
As an update, emails have tonight been sent to all relevant agencies regarding Bourne Woods.
I would have done it earlier, but I had to get one of our dogs to the vet this morning and I've got the same tomorrow with one of our cats.
Will keep you updated on emails 👍
Yes - it was rather nerve-wracking having it balanced with Luna adding to the angst! ;) I'd done about three takes prior to just letting it "roll" due to her incessant interference! Thanks so much re the emails, I've had some fantastic support from genuinely concerned people and will be responding to all shortly and of course keeping everyone updated via another video etc - many thanks Mick, and best wishes - hope all was ok at the vets - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton hi Joel I have forwarded a couple of emails to you 👍
@@micksmusicchannel thanks mate. I did see them, just been really busy at work today. Will reply soon mate. Thanks for all your efforts and support on this 😊👍
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton No problem at all Joel. My pleasure 👍
Love all of those flowers, especially the verbena. You reminded me I want move my sedum, think I'll get on that as we're looking at another 3 days of rain ~~~sigh~~~
It's raining here too - the Verbena Bonariensis is such a great plant, it's perfect for anywhere in a border as it's so "fine" that it allows other plants to catch the sun and of course it's benefit for pollinators is pretty unbeatable - you'll be rewarded! Best wishes - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton
I enlarged a flowerbed last autumn, I've sown all flowers that will attract as many pollinators as possible. Watching your advice has been a help in that.
@@itsmewende that’s so good to hear! Do send pics of your borders this summer 😁👍
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton
I'm not on any social media that I can share pix on. I gave up facebook 8 yrs ago, and instagram before that. I rarely look at twitter but searched you and you aren't there.
@@itsmewende Hi Wende. I’m on Twitter as “Joel Ashton” and Wild Your Garden. The same on Instagram. Don’t worry though - I’m pretty active on UA-cam 😉👍 All the best. Joel
Wonderful stuff - how do I know if a plant is not coming back - I mean, at what time of the year do I give up on seeing new growth? Thanks!
Depends whether it's a shrub or herbaceous plant really - do you mean you can't see it returning or you can see stems but they look dead? With a lot of shrubs I usually just light scrape a tiny piece of a branch with my fingernail and you'll be able to tell if it's alive underneath this... let me know what plant it is and I might be able to help :) Best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Herbaceous perennials...I will try the scratch test.
@@folee_edge If you're still unsure, particularly if they're finer stems then do bend them slightly and if they snap off then of course they're dead but if they show resistance at all then there's a safe betting they'll be coming back soon :)
Hi Joel I planted a bunch of wild flower seeds yesterday on a bed I prepared but I’m wondering if frost will effect them?
Hi Jamie, they should be fine - remember if they're native they're used to being scattered naturally and then hunkering down over winter in the harshest of weathers, no one interferes and covers them over, it would obviously make a difference though if they were already delicate seedlings but the frosts should be long gone before then. Hope this helps - best wishes, Joel
Hello Joe. Are Euphorbias attracted to UK wildlife. I have one that self seeded three years ago and now it's absolutely massive.
Absolutely it is Rob - I absolutely love seeing Euphorbia (or Wood Spurge) in borders with it's citrus green, and it's vital for many pollinators. Lucky you! Best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Thank you. It's self seeding everywhere. I'll grow one on and send it to you if like😄
@@phedrob3735 Thank you! Do you know, seriously, I am not sure I have any in my garden at the moment, so many plants and I can't remember where I saw one last year or whether it was in a client's garden! You're clearly more green-fingered than me! 👀😄
Thank you for such a helpful video. May I just ask, is it not too early to be cutting back dead stems etc? Given that there will probably be more frosts ahead, isn't it a good idea to leave dead material for overwintering creatures? (I'm in Oxfordshire - last frost date some time in May.) Don't get me wrong, I'd love to tidy up the garden, but... isn't it a bit early?
Hi Phil :) Absolutely, if there is any indication of frosts (or snow) then creatures will still be overwintering, I feel for the butterflies that were out in abundance a few weeks ago due to the warmer weather and sunshine and next thing they're faced with snow flurries. It's always a good idea to ensure frosts really are "out of the way", leaving the cut deadwood/stems in a pile would be a good idea if these have already been cut so that insects etc can find refuge for a little longer. Mine are ok of course as they're in a greenhouse but I just wanted to show the method for others and the importance of leaving this dead material as you so rightly point out :) Best wishes, glad the video was helpful - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Thank you.
@@philatthetwistedyarn6645 You're welcome Phil - happy to help :)
My green alkanet is spreading wildly . The bees love it but I must get rid of some of it . What is the best way of getting rid of it ?
? Please any idea, Joel, how to rewild a garden whilst discouraging rats? Our neighbours have rats and adamantly say that our 'untidy' garden is to blame.
Hi there - really sorry to hear about your neighbours. A few things to consider here... are you growing fruits/vegetables? If so, rats can be attracted to these (natural food of course) - are you leaving bird seed etc on the floor for any period if you are feeding the birds from feeders at all? This will of course also encourage rats. It's very rare that a garden for "wildlife" will attract rats, more than any other garden would - compost bins are the usual culprits in attracting rats too. If your neighbours have any of these or are growing vegetables, feeding the birds then they might want to get their own house in order first ;) Don't get me wrong, wildlife gardens will attract wildlife with the right set-up, planting etc and of course wildlife means rats too, but then wouldn't the whole countryside be over-run with rats if natural environments were the cause, rather than the urban areas they're often found in? It's usually food waste they're after and they're not fussy about nesting under anyone's garden shed, even if the rest of the garden is spick-and-span. Hope this helps with your argument - best wishes, Joel
Regarding bird seed on the ground attracting rats. The birds do chuck a lot around so I now hang plastic hanging baskets under the seed feeders to catch any seed that falls. The birds spend a lot of time dipping in and out of the baskets too.
@@joannahandley7367 Brilliant idea Joanna - well done!
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Hi Joel, many thanks. We have not used the compost bin or bird table. I threw a robin and some blackbirds seeds twice but that was before the apparent outbreak (never again haha). Our compost bin we inherited from prior tenants and is sealed and unused. We don't grow any vegetables but have planted some wildflower meadow areas. They commissioned an exterminator who inspected our garden too and said it was fine. Now they have commissioned poisoning which obviously has ramifications for other creatures, and natural predators like foxes, and domestic cats. The neighbours do grow vegetables and a few have feeders. But there is a recurrent theme even in online info they look up - that 'harbourage' is to blame ie plants, but as you say the countryside is less replete than urban areas and has less harbourage. They also contest us installing a pond or keeping areas rewilded for fear of encouraging rats so it's quite a quagmire. Anyway, many thanks, it's been hard to get solid info. Great channel! I hope to be creating a pond after ratgate! :)
@@joannahandley7367 Hmh that's a great idea! We might well take that hanging basket idea up, when the drama has settled down that is haha
Its basically a compromise,
When its warmed up enough for wildlife to emerge vs the need to get in top of pruning, cutting back etc
Yep, a compromise worth making in my eyes, way too much pruning is done in case the neighbours should think less of us ;) Best wishes - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton exactly.
Its worth the wait
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton or your OCD hubby trying to shame your garden with: oh your sister in law's garden is so much tidier. One just rolles ones eyes after 50 years of the same. Yes, I do the garden, he cleans the house 🤗.
@@westaussieeggs8867 🤣😂that did make me laugh! Hope you find solace here - best wishes, Joel
👋👋👋❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️你好
非常感谢 - 我订阅了你的频道，欢迎来到我的频道 - 向你和你的家人致以最良好的祝愿
i want your dog :). Is she for sale ??
Sometimes she is! Depending on her behaviour! ;) She was another rescue, her parents are both "in security" and they had a litter, all sold except her as the owners wanted to keep just one of course. However, shortly after their landlord decided to sell and it was difficult enough finding another rental property that allowed dogs. I feel as blessed as her really though, she's amusing although I'm fully aware of what a handful she will be. 9 months old at the moment, and I feel about 90 after 10 minutes with her! ;) Thanks Lianne - best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton I am an extreme dog lover, I have had dogs for about 30 years now. I can tell she is something special, especially the bond she is already having with you being only 9 months old is amazing. She will be an even more amazing dog when she is an adult. Give her gentle belly rubs from me !
@@liannesim9558 I will do, thank you :)
I tried Nepeta once...............................it lasted 24 hours... cats ate it hahahaha
Hmmm, yes... cats and nepeta!
Make noise in the background
BE distracted by your 'nother family member, not hyperactive, just well, .. 'nother.
We HEAR you.
SEE you.
We receive your message and thank you for it, while
LiFE HAPPENs
around you.
Thank you - wish I could say she's calmed down since then but the breed would dictate not! ;) Best wishes, Joel
my mans has hotmail in the year 2022
Since 2008! I'm their best customer! ;)