Troy’s take on the ‘Chelsea chop’
with TROY SCOTT SMITH
Lesson 43 of 56
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Troy shares his approach to another task for late May or early June, the Chelsea chop, and how he uses it to maximise the length of the flowering period.
From the Lesson Workbook
Troy's take on the 'Chelsea chop'
Another task for late May or early June is the 'Chelsea chop'. I do it in a specific way to maximise the length of the flowering period.
The 'Chelsea chop' is done to delay flowering. We do this for plants that flower from midsummer onwards, such as:
- Veronica
- Phlox
- Campanula
We do a 'half-chop'. This means half the plant will flower soon and half will branch and flower later – you're engineering a succession to get two flowering periods around a month apart.
- Take half the stems in the clump down by about 15-20cm (6-8in).
- Select stems randomly from throughout the clump.
- You can use secateurs or snips, or finger and thumb to be quicker.
Further reading
- RHS guide to the 'Chelsea chop'
- RHS guide to the Hampton hack
Plant Directory
Campanula species and cultivars
Bellflowers
Hardy herbaceous perennials
Campanulaceae
Phlox paniculata
Perennial phlox
Hardy herbaceous perennial
Polemoniaceae
Veronica perennial species and cultivars
Speedwells
Hardy herbaceous perennials
Plantaginaceae
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Your Instructor
Troy Scott Smith
Head Gardener at Sissinghurst. Garden Writer, Speaker & Lecturer.
Troy Scott-Smith, previously head gardener of Iford Manor and Bodnant garden, now oversees the cherished grounds of Sissinghurst - one of the most famous gardens in England and is designated Grade I on Historic England's register of historic parks and gardens. Coming from a family of committed naturalists, Troy is a seasoned horticulturist, writer, designer and consultant, Troy is also a respected member of the RHS Floral Committee. When he set his sights on the head gardener role, he did so with refreshing candour, speaking passionately of the garden’s need for thoughtful evolution. It is a mark of the National Trust’s forward-thinking spirit that they embraced his vision, inviting him to guide this historic landscape into a compelling new chapter.
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