Cutting advice

Our Buddleja davidii has already produced a good crop of new leaves and shoots but this tough plant will put up with quite a lot of abuse. If an overgrown specimen needs to be cut back, it can still be done now. Flowering will be delayed but there should still be a good crop of blooms by mid-summer.

Our shrub was cut back by about a third last autumn and will be taken back again to just above buds near the base of the plant. For a taller specimen, lightly prune most of the stems but take back a few of the oldest branches as near to ground level as possible to encourage new growth from the base of the plant.

Lavatera can also be cut hard back in spring. This shrub is a rampant grower that will get out of hand within a couple of seasons if it isn't kept in check. Take all of last year's stems back to ground level where there should already be a clump of new growth.

Hydrangeas need to be pruned but will require more care than the lavatera and buddleja.

The macrophylla family, which includes mopheads and lacecaps, can have last year's dead flowers - left for winter protection - removed and any old or thin stems shortened to just above their lowest leaf bud.

Trim young, strong stems if necessary just above the highest leaf bud. Hydrangea paniculata can be trimmed lightly but will produce larger flowers if the main stems are cut back to within two buds of their base.

Lavender also needs care when pruning as the plant will die if it is done incorrectly. However, this is a necessary task to prolong the life of these shrubs, which quickly become woody if they are left without care.

The main thing to remember about lavender is that it will not grow from old wood so pruning should be left until new buds start to appear in spring. Once these small grey spots are visible and the danger of severe weather has passed, usually by April, all stems can be cut back to within 5-10cm/2-4ins of the ground and always above a new shoot. If the plant is woody just take them back to 5-10cm/2-4ins above new buds on the old stems.

Garden talk

THERE will be a talk by Mr Abbott entitled 'Colour in the Garden' on Monday at 7pm in Askham Bryan Village Hall, organised by the Ancient Society of York Florists. Members and non-members are welcome.

Open gardens

Sunday April 24

In aid of Great Ouseburn Village Funds

Great Ouseburn Spring Festival, Great Ouseburn, off the B6265 between Green Hammerton and Boroughbridge. Annual festival, which is the main fund-raising event in the village's calendar, with proceeds being donated towards playground equipment for the village school. Events include several open gardens, some of which have been featured on TV, a flower festival in the church, perfomances by the Amici Vocal Group, a scarecrow trail, produce and plant stalls, games for children and a children's farm yard with including lambs. The Spring Festival runs from 11am-5pm.

In aid of St John Ambulance

Helmsley Walled Garden, Helmsley, park in the Cleveland Way car park near the castle, additional disabled parking at the garden door. Five-acre restoration of a 1756 walled garden with glasshouses, herbaceous and mixed borders, pond and extensive sales area with cut flowers, herbs and vegetables (more details at www.helmsleywalledgarden.co.uk). Open 2-5pm. Admission £3.50adult, £2.50 concessions, children free.

Burneston Hall, Burneston, three miles south of Bedale. Large garden with trees, flowering shrubs and lawns. The most illustrious occupant of the house was Canon John Hartley who won the Wimbledon Men's Singles title in 1879 and 1881. Open 2-5pm. Admission £3 adult, 50p child.

In aid of National Gardens Scheme

Ling Beeches, Ling Lane, Scarcroft, off the A58 midway between Wetherby and Leeds. Two-acre woodland garden with unusual trees and shrubs, ericaceous plants, conifers, ferns and climbers plus an interesting composting system. Open 2-5pm. Admission £2.50.

Londesborough Cross, Shiptonthorpe, five miles from Pocklington off the A1079 York-Hull road. Former railway goods yard turned over 20 years into a garden with water features, bog area, borders and island beds and new woodland garden with a collection of ferns, many rare. Open 1-4pm. Admission £2.50 adult, accompanied children free. (Also open Wednesday).

Parcevall Hall Gardens, Skyeholme, nine miles north of Skipton off the B6265 Pateley Bridge-Grassington road. 16-acres of land in Wharfedale sheltered by mixed woodland with walks around the terrace garden, ponds, rock garden, mixed borders, tender shrubs and woodland. Picnic area in the old orchard. Open 10-6pm (last entry at 5pm). Admission £3 50 adult, 50p child.

Rye Hill, 15 Station Road, Helmsley, in the centre of the town. Plantswoman's garden designed and constructed by the owners and divided into different compartments, each planted in a different style with intense planting for year-round colour. There is also a well-stocked conservatory. Open 2-5pm. Admission £2 adult, accompanied children free. (Also open Wednesday).

Vicarage House, Kirkby Wharfe, off the B1223 one mile south of Tadcaster. Secluded garden surrounded by mature trees with extensive borders, raised beds, species primula and Elizabethan polyanthus - some from Jacqueline Giles on sale. Open 1-5pm. Admission £2 adult, accompanied children free.

In aid of British Red Cross

Mulgrave Castle Gardens, Lythe, four miles north of Whitby. Meadows with a mass of daffodils, large formally planted walled garden, extensive parkland, woodland walks and views. The grounds adjacent to the gardens were planned by Humphrey Repton in the late C18th. Open 2-6pm. Admission £2.50 adult, accompanied children 50p.

Sussex House, Barningham. Eight miles west of Scotch Corner on the A66. One-acre garden designer and freelance writer's garden with herbaceous beds, alpines, moss garden and loggery, gravel garden with mosaics and a fragrance garden. Open 11-4pm. Admission £2 adult.

Wednesday April 27

In aid of National Gardens Scheme

Hunmanby Grange, 12.5 miles south east of Scarborough on the road from Burton Fleming to Forham. Three-acre garden created from an exposed field. Hedges and fences shelter a series of gardens planted for year round interest with seasonal highlights. Adjacent nursery open. Open 1-5pm. Admission £2.50.

Londesborough Cross. Details under Sunday.

Rye Hill. Details under Sunday.

Gardening TV and Radio

Sunday, April 24

6.35am, R4, Living World. In the last of the series, Lionel Kelleway visits a Lincolshire woodland to look at the natural and cultural history of spring hawthorn.

9am, Radio York, Down To Earth. With William Jenkyns (repeated on Wednesday at 8pm).

9am, Radio Leeds, Joe Maiden and Tim Crowther.

2pm, R4, Gardeners' Question Time. From the West Midlands with Bunny Guinness, Anne Swithinbank, John Cushnie and chairman Eric Robson. Gardening weather forecast at 2.25pm.

2.45pm, R4, Five Gardens Of France. Susan Marling visits a contemporary garden cut into the hills above Terrasson in Perigord.

Monday to Friday

2.15pm, C4, The Great Garden Challenge. More teams compete to win a place in the grand final. With Anne-Marie Powell and James Alexander Sinclair.

Thursday

8.30pm, C4, City Gardener. Matt James returns to Brixton to check up on the Mediterranean garden he created a year ago.

Friday

8pm, BBC2, A Year At Kew. Tony Kirkham makes a loaf of bread by starting at the beginning - by sowing the crop that will eventually be harvested for his flour.

8.30pm, BBC2, Gardeners' World. The team continue with the viewers' jungle garden and plant tree ferns, palms, gingers and canna.

Updated: 10:38 Saturday, April 23, 2005