Does anyone know anything about gardening?

^ what they said.

The closest you can get is nipping out the top on a smaller variety. Cutting the top I think normally results in it splitting and growing two tops, but if it's a small variety near the top of its height it won't notice.

Otherwise everything you do to it will probably look shit. Sorry.

I guess you could carefully trim some of the base then get some old logs etc. and plant bulbs and ferns to give it a woodland vibe. But if you really don't like the tree, then Idk if that'll make a difference to you.

I think sometimes though you have to embrace existing plants.

We have a fur of some sort, and I've grown to love it. Admittedly (no offence) I think it's a more attractive shape than yours. I'm currently working on redoing the bed around the bottom.

There are already two fushas (purple dots), I'm going to add some crockus(sp?), hellebores, and move my exotic ferns (green) that probably need more light than they're getting. Plus there's a gross fern (green lines) and a baby oak. As well as a load of ground creepers and strawberries.

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Anyone know anything about Viburnum opulus Roseum Snowball Bush?

I particular what it's actually like in winter, and how manageable it is in a normal garden.

Cheers

Also do black stemmed hydrangeas look any good bare in winter?

Oh yeah actually I remember you posting about this.
I hadn’t thought about nesting etc. Guess I’ll just lump it for a while.
Funny you ask about hydrangea, I relocated a small one last autumn and now it looks dead and black, I think it sensed that I don’t really like hydrangeas. But maybe it’s a black stemmed variety?

I have a viburnum tinus, I bought it particularly for interest in winter as it flowers right now. The flowers smell amazing. It's super easy to take care of, is drought tolerant and is growing happily in the shade.

I think Opulus flowers in spring/summer and loses it's leaves unlike Tinus which is evergreen.

Awesome. Thanks.

Looks like a sprig of sage in a foxglove. Not sure though.

Hellebore is going off this year.

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I have a normal guelder rose as part of a sort-of-hedge - so that's an unimproved viburnum opulus I think. It is a wild hedgerow plant, whose flowers and berries are ornamental enough to nearly be properly garden worthy. So maybe your improved version would be. It's big, sprawling and bushy, and in the winter its just a bundle of bare twigs. I really do like it a lot, but for a slightly out of the way spot not a focal point

Magnificent, especially love the veined leaves - do you know the variety?

I've a corner of my front garden that borders some woods and my garage, the flora that was there previously has now gone due to weather and reasons.
As it's almost perfectly south facing I'm tempted to try a small bushy apricot tree, thoughts?

Ours is looking really good at the moment too (hence why I'm now so keen on them).

It's underplanted with tulips which you can just about see poking through.

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To update everyone on my unnecessarily complicated search for quick garden footwear:

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You know that is a stock option, right?

https://tigersafety.co.uk/dunlop-dee-calf-short-half-length-quality-pvc-2-2

I do.

However:

• deeper complex treads
  
• floppier material prevents no handed entry
  
• still higher than required
  
• Screwfix vs Monty Don aesthetics
  

I spent way more time that in reasonable in Sportsdirect, assessing and comparing the various qualities. Including experimenting with rolling.

A little girl asked her dad what I was doing.

You have thought about this more than me

Could you go to M&S next please and assess these using the same method
https://www.marksandspencer.com/waterproof-pull-on-chelsea-boots/p/clp60551834

Would have thought Monty would wear artisan £400 wellies not homebrew, though

I was looking at that style, but couldn't really bare to spend >£20 on something so niche.

You're probably right. Monty is blatantly rocking Le Chameau.

My wife has the Primark/shoezone version of these and they make me laugh every time I see them.
They look like galoshes as they are over sized

I'm pretty sure its Leona Helleborus.

@hugo looking great.

Your wife is following the latest trends clearly

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My wife wishes she was that cool.

I have these. I wouldn't want to walk in them all day, but for dicking about in the garden they are fine.

I like to imagine you are replying to the photo above