Plants to protect from wind-rock

In autumn, some plants will need to be prepared before winter to prevent wind-rock – high winds can loosen plant roots.

Roses

Shorten the stems of tall bush and shrub roses to reduce windrock during winter gales, by pruning back to an outward-facing bud. Take a look at our autumn rose care guide for more advice.

Buddleia

Buddleias can put on a staggering amount of growth in a season, so it's worth thinning them out to prevent wind-rock. You can also hard prune buddleias in early spring to improve their appearance.

Dogwoods (Cornus)

These winter showstoppers display their dazzling stems in winter. Prune species like Cornus alba and Cornus sanguinea lightly before winter to reduce the 'sail' effect of top growth.

Lavatera

Lavatera, or tree mallow, grows well in coastal locations and light, well-drained soils, but this can leave plants exposed to wind-rock. Protect them from inclement winter weather by shortening lanky stems.

Abutilon

If you're growing abutilons in containers or are keeping them indoors over winter then wind-rock is less of a concern. However, they can become top heavy, so it's a good idea to thin out those growing outdoors in exposed spots.