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Any idea what this is?

siananiganssiananigans Posts: 49
in Plants
We moved to our current house end of October last year. In the garden there were a few overgrown roses which I have cut right back, a firethorn in the worst place ever so I'm afraid that was cut down and dug out!

There is two of these shrubs in a border and I have no idea what they are as they're in there dried up winter stage. Would love to know what they are and if they should be pruned back for the coming year. 
I know it's a hard one given their current state.. I'll see if I can find any pictures from the marketing info that shows them in summer. 




Posts

  • Chrissy the gardenerChrissy the gardener Posts: 1,072
    I think it looks like spirea, you usually cut back after flowering.
  • yorkshireroseyorkshirerose Posts: 574
    I agree with Chrissy. It looks like Spirea. There should be new growth starting to show now. I cut mine back yesterday (14thFeb) to just above the lowest new shoots, but leaving enough above them in case of any die back if there are any damaging frosts.
    If not pruned back these shrubs can become  tangled and very woody with poor flowers
    I would recommend pruning back quite ruthlessly and feeding with a balanced fertiliser, eg Gromore, chicken pellets or blood, fish and bone, in a couple of weeks' time.
    A gardener's work is never at an end  - (John Evelyn 1620-1706)
  • Paul B3Paul B3 Posts: 3,121
    Agree with both the above ; you can be pretty brutal to Spiraea . We cut a group of these (and Hypericums) virtually to ground every year .
    They always regenerate with renewed vigour , and even flower the same year too!
    Go for it !!! ;)
  • siananiganssiananigans Posts: 49
    Great, thank guys, I knew this would be the place to ask! 
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