Pruning

 

I did what I was supposed to do.

As soon as the glorious blossoms on our large azalea bush began to look more like limp rags, I pulled out our clippers and began the awful task of pruning.  Unlike the vine grower in today’s Gospel, I was not interested in the increase of fruit, but of flowers, but the principle of pruning remained the same; cut away the branches that do not produce and cut down those that do.  The immediate result is tragic, as you can see for yourself in the pictures here.  

It nearly kills me every time I have to do it.  But I know from experience that the present agony, both on my part and on the part of the traumatized bush before me, that it is completely worth it.

See the rose bushes, above and below, that require their pruning in February before they bloom are now fully recovered and fully covered in buds about to burst. 

  Unfortunately, I delayed too long to prune the blue hydrangea last year so now it is rather ungainly and sprawling all over the place.

My excuse for this neglect is that hydrangeas are supposed to be pruned after they finish blooming in the summer.  The only trouble was that this hydrangea just kept blooming!  By the time it finished, it was too late to prune.  So, I guess this year, I will have to prune before it finishes!  That is really going to kill me!  Oh, dear Lord, does it hurt you as much to prune me when you have to do so?  Of course, You know what you are doing even when I do not.  May I respond as well as my garden plants when you cut me back and I am challenged to bear more fruit for your kingdom and flowers for your glory!