Prune, prune for a blooming broom

Broom (Cytisus) is adored by snails and birds will visit to pick off aphids. Bees and butterflies will drink nectar from the brightly-coloured flowers. It needs to be pruned back following flowering to prevent it becoming woody lower down. Prune back to a strong shoot or bud near the old wood. Don’t prune old wood, however, which sometimes does not recover. Although it looks more contrived, you can use hedging shears to trim shoots back quickly en masse once a year. After a few years broom needs to be replaced.

This is also a good time to trim many rockery plants such as aubrieta and alyssum to encourage new growth after flowering. The flowering stems of ragged robin can also be trimmed back this month to encourage a second flush of flowers. Much of the garden fruit is ripening and birds will feast on it unless it is protected. Spring-flowering meadows should be cut now.