Gardeners urged to prune two plants now to avoid damaging them

By November, the garden is well and truly in its dormant phase, making it an ideal time to prune certain .

Pruning helps to eliminate any dead, diseased or damaged growth and aids in restoring the shape of plants. It's also beneficial to thin out the weakest of stems that cross or touch to allow airflow and prevent wind damage. are advised to prune summer-flowering woody plants in late autumn or winter if they want to encourage more fruit or flowers next year.

Even though November is drawing to a close, there are two plants that require pruning - and they can even be pruned at the start of December.

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1. Hydrangea petiolaris

Hydrangea petiolaris, often referred to as climbing hydrangea, is a deciduous climber and shrub. In May and June, the hydrangea petiolaris produces wide flower heads with small fertile flowers which are randomly surrounded by beautiful white petaled flowers, reports .

According to the experts at Hillier, these plants should be gently pruned back as they need to be shaped. Doing so will "help the plant as it flowers healthy large blooms on the previous season's wood", while any drastic pruning may "restrict flowering the following year and lead to damage".

To prune hydrangea petiolaris, cut back the flowered shoots to a pair of new buds. Gardeners can also remove old or dead stems at the base of the plant to stimulate healthy new growth. If the plant has grown too large, gardeners may need to sacrifice the flowers for a few years by pruning back harder in November.

Always ensure you use clean, sharp pruners for cutting back hydrangea vines and sterilise the pruners with a bleach solution or rubbing alcohol to eliminate bacteria.

2. Peonies

Peonies are delicate-stemmed plants that naturally die back in autumn and spring back to life in the following spring. Gardening guru Sarah Raven has advised that by trimming the dead stems down to the ground in November, gardeners can ward off insects and diseases, setting the stage for robust growth next spring. It's crucial when removing stems to avoid harming the crown, which is the plant's fleshy part between the roots and stems.

The optimal spot to snip a peony stem is just above a healthy bud. If you encounter a diseased stem, be sure to cut back to the healthy wood. Diseased or insect-infested pruned cuttings should not be composted; instead, burn them or bag them up and throw them away. When two branches cross and chafe each other, it's best to remove the less desirable branch as the friction from constant rubbing can cause wounds that invite insects and diseases.

Gardeners may also thin out selected buds to manage the size and number of blooms. By removing side buds and leaving the tip bud on a stem, one can expect "one very large blossom". Conversely, taking off the terminal bud and keeping the side ones will result in "more but smaller flowers".