There are 2 schools of thought on the care and feeding of forsythia--a close clip or the joyful exuberance of its natural state. Which one do you think better represents the glory of a Spring day? I've got my opinion.
I vote no trimming...tho at one of my former houses, we had forsythia in areas close to the house and so some trimming was necessary... but I do think they are prettier if left to spread their lovely branches every which way.
OH, I TOTALLY love it in its natural state!
2 schools of thought = 2 types of people, don't you think?
Not that one is better than the other, but preference for either aesthetic certainly defines the viewer!
When I first looked at the 2 I liked the trimmed only because I like everything to be neat and in "order" BUT in this case I do like the untrimmed look better to represent Spring :)
To represent spring, I'd have to go with the natural look. My personal preference would probably be the trimmed one, but it would depend on where it was in my yard.
So we're all in agreement? Here's what the Country Gardener says on her blog:
it's a shrub that gets big, but it's usually planted in a spot that's too small. The result: you shear it or whack it back and hope that will make it smaller. But nature has the last word. (Doesn't she always?) Pruning stimulates more growth, and plants grow to a height and width that's genetically programmed. For forsythia shrubs, that's 7 to 10 feet tall and wide.
Absolutely -- UNTRIMMED; forsythia is so BEAUTIFUL with its own natural untamed profile. In its untrimmed/ untamed natural shape it reaches out with thousands of small yellow blossoms to engulf us in the thrill of the new season.
2 schools of thought = 2 types of people, don't you think?
Not that one is better than the other, but preference for either aesthetic certainly defines the viewer!
it's a shrub that gets big, but it's usually planted in a spot that's too small. The result: you shear it or whack it back and hope that will make it smaller. But nature has the last word. (Doesn't she always?) Pruning stimulates more growth, and plants grow to a height and width that's genetically programmed. For forsythia shrubs, that's 7 to 10 feet tall and wide.