Shrub shapes and colours

[Herb]

This being the time of year when the new growth on low-growing, small-leaved evergreens in this picture start to look a bit ragged, it's also the time to get out the shears & clip them to the low, flattened dome shape that the Journal of Japanese Gardening is rather keen on.

If I understand them correctly, it's easiest to get this shape by shearing the tops first and then clipping the 'shoulders'. Anyway, that's what I did.

The view is what we see from our breakfast table in the kitchen.

Herb

[George Nesfield]

Hi Bert,
What I sometimes use to trim,prune and shape my shrubs is a pair of hand sheep shearers they are brilliant for the job.
George.

[Herb]

Hi, George,

I wish I could use them, but I can't squeeze the blades together (arthritis).

So it's long-handled pruners for things with big leaves, and an electric hedge trimmer for nearly everything else.

Bert

[wishiwere]

They look nice Herb! Tell me, are they as healthy on the back side as the front? What a nice view to start your day!

[Herb]

Jane,

There are a few spots on the back where the foliage is a bit sparse because other shrubs had grown into them, but I think the gaps will probably fill in.

One of the small shrubs in the front row (a rhododendron 'Brick Dust') had got to the point where it was growing into its neighbours, and hanging over the rocks and out over the lawn. I cut it back so much that now you can only see bare branches. I may cut it back still more, keeping my fingers crossed that it'll grow back. I expect it will, because there are quite a lot of tiny green buds on the inside & lower branches.

Herb

[Tokyo Mike]

Beautiful job !