Pruning the lavender

I have been busy this week pruning the lavender and other plants at Casa Debbio.
Despite the hot, dry summer our lavender plants thrived, thanks to the loving care of Filippo who takes care of our garden when we go home to Australia.
Here is how our garden looked in early spring.
Casa Debbio
Casa Debbio
Casa Debbio
Casa Debbio
As the weather warmed up it began to grow quickly.
Casa Debbio
Casa Debbio
Casa Debbio
Casa Debbio
Casa Debbio
Casa Debbio
Just before we left in June flowers began to turn purple…I always miss seeing it in full bloom.
Casa Debbio
When I returned in September the flowers had lost their colour.
Casa Debbio
I felt terrible cutting the flowers off. So much effort went in to growing them, but if I don’t prune the bushes they grow too big and get a bit straggly.
This is what I cut from 2 plants. The house is now full of lavender.
Casa Debbio
Here is the wall half way through the trimming. There are rosemary plants between the lavender. They need to be trimmed too.
Casa Debbio
…and here is the finished result.
Casa Debbio
We have almost 200 lavender plants over 2 terraces. Next year we will plant them along the driveway as well…roll on spring 2017.