Hydrangeas, the charming "cottage garden favourite", could be losing out on their full blooming glory with improper pruning, as this gardening mishap might prevent your outdoor space from achieving its vibrant best.

Famed for those "big fluffy blooms", getting the shears in check could see your green scene blossom, but have you been making this gardening faux pas?

Are you keen to see your hydrangeas in full flourish for spring 2025? Then hunker down for some winter groundwork, as it's pivotal for peak petal performance. In a blossoming bit of advice shared on TikTok, @enviiukk cautions: "If you're not pruning them the right way, then you could be missing out on their full potential."

Timing is everything where hydrangeas are concerned, and while an early spring trim is ideal, there's prep to be done now for longevity's sake.

The TikTok gardening guru emphasises: "It's really important to leave the flower heads on over winter because they help to protect any new buds which are forming lower down in the plant."

Green-fingered enthusiasts take note: two essential pruning strategies will help depending on the hydrangea variety you're nurturing. Clarifying her point, she adds: "There are plants which flower on old wood and plants which flower on new wood."

She advises: "Smooth and Panicle hydrangeas flower on new wood, so they can be cut back much harder to just above a couple of healthy buds lower down in the plant."

Lastly, for Macrophylla varieties like Lacecaps and Mopheads, she shares this snippet: "The Macrophylla hydrangeas called the Lacecaps and the Mopheads will flower on old wood, so all you need to do is remove the flower head, just above a couple of nodes, come spring, you should see new shoots appearing, and then flowers will form from midsummer."

She assured green-fingered fans that mastering the art of pruning could leave their gardens looking outstanding.

In a flurry of queries within the comment section, one gardening enthusiast asked for advice regarding a vibrant hydrangea, saying: "I have a smashing one in a pot; when will I transfer it to the ground now or springtime?"

Offering their horticultural wisdom, the gardeners advised: "Try to plant this Autumn/Winter before the ground freezes over but when the plant is in a dormant state."

The conversation continued with another person pondering: "How do I cut back Mophead? If I don't, it will take over the whole garden. Can I cut it back hard?"

To which they revealed a tip, asserting: "I'd recommend cutting back 1/3 to 1/2 of the stems harder so you still get flowers next year. They can get huge!"