There is only one plant that I always administer the Chelsea chop to. Come rain or shine, without fail, and that’s sedums.
Except this particular one which, come rain or shine, I didn’t. Looks nice though, doesn’t it? Beautiful, dark coloured flowers on a plant in my own garden (unchopped and overlooked due to all the work going on in the house). The variety is unknown and it didn’t flop too badly because the soil is so very dreadful.
But on a (not as nicely coloured ) sedum at the Priory, which did have the ‘chop, I ended up with this:
a thick cloth of flower on shorter, stouter stems that won’t collapse after heavy rain.
The Chelsea chop is a fairly heavy prune of the plant in May (about the time of the flower show). Cut back a stem by about a half and the plant grows four or five new replacements – each with it’s own flowerhead. Brilliant!
If you haven’t tried the ‘chop before, I recommend trying it out on sedums. As I do, without fail. Come rain or shine.
