Solved Fragrant in April - Skimmia Japonica

I don't prune them, either. I'd be inclined to put a stake in behind it and, gradually, tie it back to get it more upright.

 

Thanks, MrsK, but that is because there is more flowers than leaf!!! The Osmanthus has literally thousands of those tiny tubular flowers to the point that they mask the leaves and give that gorgeous scent that travels so far.

I have to be honest and say that it was not me but the Shrub itself and the fact that it is squeezed between the Garrya and the Pampas Grass. It has never been pruned because again it is a slow grower [although a lot faster than a Skimmia] and it's shape is natural due to the circumstances that it is growing in......and it seems fairly happy there!! People on GC will tell you I tend to overplant and continue to squeeze in more hardy perennial plants and bulbs than possibly conventional gardening tastes and rules would like.

My polite answer to that is NO!!! Skimmia is a low round forming plant that doesn't take kindly to pruning of any sort. It definitely won't grow beyond it's natural height because of selective pruning in the hope to increasing it's height and, because it is such a slow grower, it will remain in the shape you prune it for years.

If the problem is, as you say, being grown under a Broom which is covering/obscuring it then I would advise moving the Skimmia. But I would leave the move to the Autumn [October] as the plant will not be in active growth. When and if you decide to move the Skimmia make sure you give the area around the Skimmia a good soaking, leave it for around 30 minutes and then dig it out with as much of the rootball that you can. Then when it's in the new site water it for a week or three to make sure it's happy and will survive.

 

I would described mine as a chaotic "Cottage Style" garden. It has layers of bulbs planted on top of each layer, with hardy perennials planted on top of them in the central borders, with Shrubs on the perimeter borders and bulbs etc planted in close and underneath them. I'm not keen on formal gardens and regimented rows of flowers so my garden basically runs itself and never fails to surprise me.









It's not to everyone's taste but it's my little piece of Heaven and Retreat

 

I reckon my garden is one that would never make it to Chelsea, Strongy!!!

 

Thanks, loli, all I know is that when I take an amble around the "Retreat" a smile comes to my face and all is right with the World
A lot of visitors do look a bit stunned when walking around and I can never tell if they thinking that they like it or not for a few minutes. I do like visiting the "Big House" gardens but am always jarred by the formal gardens with their straight lines, overpowering expanses of lawns, one colour themed borders, etc, but I get over that because of the gems of plants that they usually have.
But, like I said, I do know that my chaotic style of mixed planting/colours does not always go down well with some visitors as they have tidy minds and regimented gardens........each to their own!!!