Experienced grower's notes on Forsythia

I've been growing plants seriously for over fifteen years and Forsythia remains a reliable favourite. For anyone starting out: the most critical thing is deadheading where appropriate to extend the flowering season. Everything else follows from that.

leggy and open growth habit from insufficient light is the challenge that trips up most beginners and some experienced growers too. I've been growing mine in a mixed shrub border providing year-round structure for three seasons now and the results are consistently good. wide range from ground-covering species to large specimens is what makes it worth coming back to year after year. summer flowering on the current season's growth is when I show it off — it earns its place fully then.