Waves of Flowers Rise and fall through a well-planned garden like an ocean tide. Each plant makes its colorful statement for a period of time and then fades from view, letting other flowers take center stage. To maximize the floral display and improve the garden's appearance, it makes sense to trim away the spent flowers, or "deadhead," as soon as the blooms have faded.
Plants flower so they can produce seeds and perpetuate the species. When spent flowers are removed, many plants devote the energy that would have gone toward seed production to making more flowers. Deadheading not only keeps plants in flower longer but also often results in bushier plants with more flowering points.
Another reason for deadheading is to prevent a plant from selfseeding. The offspring of hybrid varieties of flowers -- summer phlox (Phlox paniculata), for instance -- are often inferior to the parent. Likewise, removing blooms can prevent prolific seeders such as garlic chives from becoming troublesome.
The amount of stem and foliage that is removed with the spent flower is dependent on the plant's blooming characteristics, and only familiarity with each plant will tell you where to cut. Perennials such as lilies, peonies and most varieties of astilbe will flower only once annually whether deadheaded or not. Clip off their spent blooms to leave as much foliage as possible. The energy created through the photosynthesis in the leaves is essential to nourish next year's flowers.
Other perennials benefit from a heavier hand with the pruning shears. Ladybells (Adenophora), sidalcea and perennial cornflowers (Centaurea montana) will rebloom only sporadically if deadheaded timidly. Sheared back to leave only the basal foliage as the first blooms falter, however, these perennials respond with another hearty flush of foliage and flowers later in the season.
Plants flower so they can produce seeds and perpetuate the species. When spent flowers are removed, many plants devote the energy that would have gone toward seed production to making more flowers. Deadheading not only keeps plants in flower longer but also often results in bushier plants with more flowering points.
Another reason for deadheading is to prevent a plant from selfseeding. The offspring of hybrid varieties of flowers -- summer phlox (Phlox paniculata), for instance -- are often inferior to the parent. Likewise, removing blooms can prevent prolific seeders such as garlic chives from becoming troublesome.
The amount of stem and foliage that is removed with the spent flower is dependent on the plant's blooming characteristics, and only familiarity with each plant will tell you where to cut. Perennials such as lilies, peonies and most varieties of astilbe will flower only once annually whether deadheaded or not. Clip off their spent blooms to leave as much foliage as possible. The energy created through the photosynthesis in the leaves is essential to nourish next year's flowers.
Other perennials benefit from a heavier hand with the pruning shears. Ladybells (Adenophora), sidalcea and perennial cornflowers (Centaurea montana) will rebloom only sporadically if deadheaded timidly. Sheared back to leave only the basal foliage as the first blooms falter, however, these perennials respond with another hearty flush of foliage and flowers later in the season.
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