Does anyone know anything about gardening?

Pruning advice, if it's even pruning that is needed. Moved in about 6 weeks ago and working our way around the garden, previous owners clearly enjoyed gardening, but I suspect that a small child and deciding to move meant that a few things were let go in the last 6-12 months.

The tree/bush/plant in the pic has fresh growth on one side (red) but the rest just has bare branches and some dry leaves (blue). What can I do to try and neaten the whole thing up and encourage some growth on the left hand side?

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Blue side looks dead? Cut it back (left side) at the base and plant something with more vigour?

I've done the 'scratch test' on some of the branches to the edge of the blue section and they are still green so I'm not sure I need to go right back to the base.

Not sure what it is (Euonymus maybe?); there are a few different things in the photo.

But as midlife says, option is probably to cut back hard and see if it comes back.

Today was Hosta day

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Hello slugs!

I've done them in pots before and managed to keep the slugs at bay.

Planted out, they are toast.

Interesting. My garden is home to the competitive eater style of slug. I hate the fuckety fuckers.

Still no asparagus here.

Planted 6 foxglove plants in our front garden. My partners suggestion. Not normally my sort of thing but these are a variety called Suttons Apricot and look to be a nice colour. Hopefully, they'll take off as there's 600l of homemade compost dug in that border. Some self seeded poppies coming up too. Alliums hopefully out within the next fortnight.
Avoid ordering from Sarah Raven, a proper shit show.

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Still no asparagus here.

4 more stems cut here if it is of any consolation.

1 foxglove turned up in the front garden last year, now I have 4.

Hosta day

looking good!

Our town has more giant hostas than can be explained with words. I'll grab some pictures next sunny day I'm out on the bike. Some yards have literal hundreds.

What happened with Sarah Raven? We shopped there for the first time this year and have generally been quite impressed

Ordered 12 plants 3 weeks ago. Only received 6 so far and the others have no dispatch date yet. They don't answer emails and don't answer their phone. Have a look at Trust pilot. Think they score about 1.9! Had something similar happen when ordering a birthday gift previously but gave them the benefit of the doubt.
https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.sarahraven.com

Mmm that doesn’t sound great.

We’re still waiting on some of our order (probably 2 months ago now) but we knew that stuff would only be sent when it was ready so haven’t been trying to contact them

Looking forward to seeing this!

Round here we have wall to wall photonia "red robin" in front gardens. Almost every other house.

Would suggest a night time raid, full SAS camo with balaclavas and remove the photinia "Red Robin" make a pile and nuke from orbit :)

Not sure I've ever mentioned this on here.

If you have access to a car do go and check out Coolings garden centre in Knockholt. Many of you will have cycled past it when roadying out Cudham / Downe way.

It is, by far, the best GC I have ever been to. The depth, range and quality of stock is quite incredible.

It's such a joy to be able to go to a GC with a list of what you want and be able to get great examples of all of them. In other GCs it always seems to be a case of "let's see what they have when we get there."

I ordered some wildflower seeds from Sarah Raven this year back in February and they didn't turn up till April, by which point I'd got some somewhere else and had sowed them. I understand some places sell plants online before they are ready but they usually give you an estimated dispatch date at ordering, did not expect to wait months for some seeds (which turned up loose in a brown bag btw!)

Agreed, when we had a car, I loved going there. Nice cafe and outdoor seating area/garden too.

I’ve ordered a couple of times with no complaints, pricey but the plants were healthy compared to the withered plugs some other companies have sent.
I’d rather go and choose the nicest from a GC, I’ll recommend Smiths in Uxbridge as my favourite but I’ve had better from Sarah Raven than from Parker’s.

In other news our purple alliums having been squashed flat by a dog/kid/football triple combo have miraculously sprung upright again. 🙏🏻

remove the photinia "Red Robin" make a pile and nuke from orbit :)

sounds like a plan! :-)

My phallic allium lads are coming up

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I haz cucumber.

They are sold in "pairs" here it seems.
Should I seperate the two and plant in seperate pots? The little roots are already quite intertwined so I was worried.

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