With brown bin day (yard waste) at last approaching, it was time to prune last year’s papery beige dead hydrangea heads, and lavender spikes to make way for more growth. I’d left them on to protect the new growth—at least that’s what Monty Don of BBC’s Gardener’s World said he does with his lavender.

I expected a big job of pruning but it didn’t take long at all—or maybe I just didn’t notice because it was so good to be outside again.  Now the leaves have space to unfurl—with two sets below each one spent flower I pruned.  And it looks so much better.  Satisfying.