Box tree caterpillars (Cydalima perspectalis) are one of the biggest threats to box hedges (Buxus) in the U.K. These pests can quickly strip a hedge of its leaves, leaving it looking brown, defoliated, and unhealthy. If your box hedge has suffered an infestation, the good news is that it can recover—provided you take the right…
I have another pest to add to the growing list of threats to a Buxus plant’s health and well-being. This one is the red ant (Myrmica rubra). There’s been a lot of head scratching at a place where I work to discover the reason why leaves of a single box plant were starting to yellow…
Hydrangea ‘Annabelle’ is a beautiful shrub. Large white balls of flowers on long stems from the end of July and into August. But this variety of hydrangea has a reputation for flopping due to the size of the flower heads. Wire supports help but they don’t look great. A natural support is box hedging. I…
The fungal disease box blight attacks Box (Buxus) and can result in twiggy patches and dieback. Box blight was first recognised in the mid 1990’s and has now become a real problem in many gardens all over the UK, especially with warm and damp weather. What is Box Blight? Box blight is a fungal disease that…
Over the years I have developed quite a collection of topiary shears. They all have their own different characteristics, and that’s not just the price. Some work better on thicker stemmed shrubs, others are more suitable for a faster clipping action – a lot depends on their weight, balance and type of steel used to…
