April is a good time to do some pruning and snipping

On a decent day, if you’ve got the urge and your secateurs are handy, it’s time to get out into the garden and give a few things a haircut.

• If they haven’t been clipped during winter, prune gooseberries, redcurrants and white currants
• Prune winter jasmine
• Remove branches growing from the root of rose bushes 
• Dead head large bulbs such as tulips, narcissus and hyacinths
• Newly planted hedges should be trimmed 
• Fuchsias can be pruned, but take care not to cut any new growth 
• Perennial shrubs and ornamental trees will need pruning for shape.