Spiraea 'Arguta' syn. Spiraea x arguta

I thought I’d look up the care of #spiraea-arguta and some sites suggest it doesn’t need much of a prune other than to keep it the size you want. I would beg to differ 🤓 I take out a few of the oldest stems down to ground level then trim back the flowering shoots to a nice healthy stem and it flowers beautifully but doesn’t look pruned…if you know what I mean 😜

Au naturel 💚✂️💚

And you’ll be pleased to know that only tea was drunk in the pruning of it this year 🫖☕️✂️ @pelly

You're slipping Jacqueline 😂😂😂

I agree with you Jacqueline, they get too woody in the centre and end up looking messy, that one that I had in the garden had to be moved earlier in the year, I cut it back so hard and dug it up, left it on the grass for about 4 weeks and then decided to plant it in the front garden, which I did a really bad job of, but to my surprise it’s growing really well, so I’d say it’s also pretty indestructible 👍🏼😀

😂 Well done for getting it out in the first place! Mine is beginning to spread a bit and I was wondering if I could chop a bit out in the autumn. Will give it a go! @sieveheadsarah

Oh definitely go for it Jacqueline 👍🏼😀

This is the job that tells me summer is almost here☀️ I usually plan to prune it when it is really sunny 😎 with a glass of something cold in one hand 🍹and the secateurs in the other ✂️ but this time I realised I can see what I’m doing a lot better on a dull day 🙄🤷‍♀️🙄🤷‍♀️🙄 #spiraea-arguta

Or it might me the vino 😂😂😂

Nah! What are you suggesting?! 🤪😂 @ublaszko

Here you go @jamesdep 👍

One of my favourite shrubs 💚 Love when it comes into flower. It is just so perfect for this time of year

It’s beautiful 👰🏻🤍🤍🤍

Gorgeous 🤍🤍🤍

It really is isn’t it Elaine. Love it @wagsmomthompsonbtinternetcom

Thanks Marilyn 😊 @lovemygarden65

18 Apr 2019 • I love this time of year and I love this shrub. Shrub. Bit of an ugly sounding word for such a beautiful plant but there you go 💚

Wonder why they called it that Jacqueline

Beautiful 💚

Looks cool 👌

My fav Spring shrub. Shame I have to keep mine trimmed due to size it will eventually outgrow my garden but I start again with cuttings they soon get established

No idea Jayne 🤔 @jaynehynesburton

Thank you Marilyn 😊 @lovemygarden65

Thanks BK, you’re right, it is! @bks

I’m sure you’re right Keely though I’ve lived here for 20+ years and I don’t think it’s any bigger than it was when we moved in. It’s my favourite too! @Keely

Oh gosh maybe its reached its max now and saying no more lol

Haha! Every year I take out several stems down to ground level and shorten the rest, so I suppose it never gets any bigger 🤔 @Keely

“Shrub: old English shrubbery, underwood, broom, brushwood” apparently 🧐🤓 @jaynehynesburton

2 Jul 2018 • One of my favourite jobs is pruning this, ready for it to put on another wonderful show next spring 😍 I managed to do it with just a mug of tea this year 😉 #pruning #spiraea

Would have been easier if you used the secateurs 😂😂😂

I need to prune mine...any tips @awomanonabike ?

What, no G&T? Your standards are dropping Jacqueline 😂🤣😅

I must do mine, thanks for the reminder 😀👍🏼😀

😜 And there was I thinking that was quite an achievement 😉😂 @charlotte

Hi Julia, I take a few (1 in 5?) of the oldest branches out at ground level. Then I shorten all the others back to a healthy shoot below any old flowers. I think this is better than shaping it, which is what you sometimes see in gardens, as it keeps it looking much more natural 👍😊 @brighter

It’s usually done with a glass of chilled white Jane 😬 but yes, standards are dropping. It was so hot I’d have downed it before I’d made the first cut 😉😂 @pelly

You’re welcome Sarah. I think I’ve usually done it by now too but it’s been so hot I’d put off doing it 😎☀️😎 @sieveheadsarah

I have already cut off the finished flowering stems as they look messy, I need to get brutal with it this year, then it'll look fabulous next Spring 😀👍🏼😀

😂🤣😅

It certainly seems to benefit from a healthy prune 👍 @sieveheadsarah

Another of my favourite shrubs, basking in the last of the evening sun ☀️

Everything is isn’t it. Or maybe it’s all been early for the last few years? 🤔 😬 @Jasonsparkes1

Such a beautiful shrub 👌beautiful shot 😍

Thank you Pauline. It just caught my eye as I was bringing the washing in 🙄😂 @pauline33

😂😂we are so easily distracted never miss a photo opportunity ☺️❤️

...but this is the wheelbarrow 😉

Just a bit there then Jacqueline 😂😂😂

I know😂😂 You can't really tell looking at the plant but it's pretty obvious from the wheelbarrow. But I guess that's a good sign. I can't stand it when a plant like this gets pruned by just chopping the top off. Grr!😉😂😂 @pelly

This is after. It's hard to see how much I've taken off...

Looks good, I cut loads out of mine last year, it definitely did it good as this spring it looked fab. 🌞👍🏼🌞

I do it every year Sarah - usually accompanied by a glass of something 😂 @sieveheadsarah

And why not 🌞🍸🌞

Amazing job as you also had a glass of wine in hand! 👌🏼👍🏼😉

I usually have a cup of tea while I prune Rachel, but somehow pruning this always coincides with a gorgeous, hot summer evening - so a glass of chilled white it is! @rachelbrooks

My sentiments entirely Sarah! 😉😊 @sieveheadsarah

Totally understandable! 👍🏼

A sunny evening. Must be time to prune the spiraea...

This one is specially for you Jane & Franca, as you seemed a bit worried when I suggested this was a good combo back in the spring 😉 @pelly @titchyfra

Stand back from the shears Jacqueline 😂😃😄

Too late Jane. The deed is done ✅ @pelly

Well I hope you enjoyed the wine in that case 🍷🍷🍷

I did Jane. In fact I still am 🥂😉 @pelly

I'm just considering having one myself Jacqueline 😊😊😊

Cheers Jane! 🍷 @pelly

Chin chin Jacqueline. We are sitting in the garden now, mine is a wine and the OH is on the beer. 🍺🍷

Well deserved I'm sure Jane. Even up here it's too hot to do much else. Cheers! @pelly

Well I cut 1 in 4 of the oldest branches down to ground level. Then I stand back and have a sip. Then I cut out the wispy bits and have another sip. Then I cut all the flowered branches down to a really healthy shoot. Then I lie down 😂 Cheers Laura & hubby! @columbiariver

He he Jacqueline, i'd forgotten about this magical combo- great to see it in practice , I'm still too much of an amateur to try this 😜😁

...and here is a close-up

#spiraea-arguta

No it hasn't been snowing. I just love it when this starts to flower and I know that by the time it finishes the evenings will be long and warm & I will prune it with a chilled glass of white in one hand & secateurs in the other 😊

It's gorgeous but wine and secateurs, is that wise 😂

@titchyfra I know! It's a risk. I might spill some wine 😂

@titchyfra Seriously though Franca, I think it's really good to have a ☕️ or 🍷 while pruning. It makes you stand back every so often and look at what you're doing.

I now have a picture in my head of you pruning away and your lovely chilled wine getting warm Jacqueline arghhhh 😂😂😂

@gjones It's a stunner isn't it? It was here when we moved in *ahem* years ago & it performs beautifully every year.

@pelly Don't worry Jane. It's the evening sun and it is Cumbria we're talking about 🤔😉😂

😂😂😂

Lovely 😍

@juliesgarden Thanks Julie I 💚 it. I want to post a close up of the flowers, they are gorgeous

Very pretty

@clustyroen It is lovely Cynthia, though hard to capture it in a photo 😊