Viburnum Dawn

debs64

Hi, my daughter has moved into her first home and has s large garden. Mostly lawn but one area has shrubs including a large Viburnum bodnantese Dawn. It is looking very tired, almost no flowers just a few on the ends of branches. Any tips on rejuvenating it? She loves the shrub it was on her wish list but this is a sorry specimen. Thanks in advance for your advice 

Pete.8

A photo may help us identify if there's a problem.
I have had one for many, many years.
I don't give it any special treatment. It sends up very long shoots in summer which I cut back, but only to keep it at around 6-7ft. It flowers well in the winter (but does look a bit bedraggled now). I also cut some old stems out at the base every year or two to encourage new growth from the base.
When the leaves appear in a few weeks it looks very healthy again and grows quickly.

nutcutlet

Viburnum x bodnantense is a hybrid, 'Dawn' is one of the cultivars. They are not all 'Dawn' and some are inferior

Borderline

They can look tired at this time of year. There are loads of them planted around the estate where I live. Some look quite tired looking, others are just starting to form leaves.

Dovefromabove

The usually recommended way to rejuvenate a Vib. Bodnantense is to prune out around a third of the oldest stems from the base, after flowering ... so any time now. 

A general feed with Blood, fish & Bone and a mulch with some organic something to help the worms to improve the soil. 

Dont forget it may well have struggled in the drought last summer ... a bit of mild tlc should perk it up. 

debs64

Thanks Dove will do that. They are lovely plants and I would like to give it a chance. The garden has been somewhat neglected but is looking better all the time.