A Bloomin' Mistake In My Garden

By Phran Novelli

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - OK, here's a garden mistake I made that turned into a nice surprise. I pruned an azalea way too late last year. Azaleas should be pruned within a month or two of flowering in the spring.

But last fall, after it had already made its flower buds, I cut one back severely because it was being crowded out by neighboring shrubs and because its leaves had a pest infestation. So, I whacked it back and figured I'd sacrifice a year of flowers.

And, as expected, that azalea didn't bloom this past spring – it barely had any leaves on it much less flowers by May. But over the summer, it leafed out, grew new branches, and even flower buds. Which are blooming…now!

So here it is the middle of October and the hydrangeas beside it (which have also been bare of blooms themselves this year due to our harsh winter weather last year) make a stunning deep green backdrop to this surprising shocking pink shower of flowers.

Fall is not the time to prune azaleas! But just this once, I'm glad I did.