1. Cove Creek Gardens’ Interactive Resource Center Garden Internship Program Welcome To the PowerPoint Training for the

2. Training Session # I Seasonal Pruning is done after flowering on most shrubs. This is done to compact (small down) the size of shrubs, and to encourage new growth. Spirea ‘Plena’ (Bridalwreath Spirea) is a good example of a flowering shrub which can be easily pruned with hedgers or secateurs (“hand pruners”) after flowering. This is the shrub we pruned during class.

3. Reasons for Pruning To reduce, or compact size of shrub; To encourage new, healthy growth on shrub; Some shrubs, like Spirea, bloom only on new wood. The more this shrub is pruned the more blooms may appear next Spring; Finally, we prune to improve the appearance of the Gardens, or to clear windows, and doors of overgrown plants.

4. Pruning with Hedging Shears Hedging shears or Hedgers may be used upside down, right side up, horizontally and vertically. This allows them to be a perfect shaping tool for a hedge, such as the tall evergreen Leyland Cypress hedge in the background.

5. Hedging is Easiest at Chest Level Grip handles firmly Work to keep blades level When reducing the shrub’s size, the top gets “headed back” “Header” cuts mean flat or straight across the tops of a plant; this encourages many new side branches to form

6. What type of shrub is a Spirea? Spirea has many thin, woody stems which make up the plant. This also is a plant which does not produce edible food for wildlife or people. It is called a woody ornamental. Spirea also lose their leaves in Winter, classifying it as a deciduous, woody ornamental shrub.

7. Learning to hedge is an important, and very useful gardening skill.

8. Instruction and Supportive Criticism from a Team Leader, Supervisor, or Fellow Intern Helps Keep Us On Course. We become a Team together. The work seems less difficult together. We share our knowledge with each other, and we support each other. Thank you, IRC Garden Interns For a Job Well Done

9. Just like that, we have become a Hedging Team, and the Spirea are done.