Cutting down dead stems for new growth?

Hi everyone, I have some lilies and fuschias in pots as well as some sweet williams (which I heard were possible biennials) I also have a pot of lavender. When it comes to the lilies I let the stems die down natuarlly but I saw Carol Klein's show last night and she said that once the stems are brown they have done their work and all the goodness has been put into the bulbs/corms. So this morning I went and trimmed everything down to the soil. The problem is with my oriental lilies I seem to have somehow snipped a little green shoot as well I bet I've done the wrong thing! I trimmed my fuschias down as well as the Sweet William (it doesn't really matter with the latter though as I saved alot of seeds and have quite a few young plants & seedlings) As for the lavender it still looks reasonably alive and healthy so I assume it can be left as it is? Any advice welcome.

 

Lavendar becomes leggy if left to do its own thing. The usual recommendation is to give it a haircut in autumn but it will be ok. I find sometime some of the 'branches' look a bit done in, so I careful trim those ones off to make way for new healthy growth.

 

Thanks Clueless & Marley! Looks like I've missed the boat on the lavender but I'll get some extra protection on the lilies just to be sure. Thanks again!

Oh and it's nice to be back Marley :D

 

I learned that the hard way :DOH:

I would also recommend using some form of protection for your lillies just to be sure... you know what our weather is like... probably another sub zero to come yet.

 

Hi all, I've noticed the thread on this subject and was hoping for more clarification. I have a few lavendars in the garden at different stages, one my flatmate has already cut off the flowers but the stems look really straggly, should I cut them down to 2" above the brown wood? Also for the other lavenders some of them still have flowers and other flowers are starting to die off, does anyone know how to dried lavender? As I'd love to use them in scent bags for christmas?