Pruning Yarrow 'Coronation Gold'

Achillea 'Coronation Gold' flowers from early summer through to late summer, producing flat-topped clusters of bright yellow blooms on sturdy stems. Deadheading spent flowers in August encourages a second, lighter flush of blooms and prevents self-seeding, though the seedlings rarely come true to type. Simply snip off faded flowerheads with secateurs or sharp scissors, cutting back to a side shoot or leaf node lower down the stem. In late summer or early autumn—August or September—you can cut back the entire plant by about half if it looks tired or untidy, particularly after the main flowering period. This tidies the clump and can stimulate fresh basal foliage, though it is not essential. Some gardeners prefer to leave the seedheads standing through autumn and winter for structure and to feed birds, in which case delay the main cutback until early spring. The principal pruning task is the spring cutback in March. Cut all old stems down to ground level, removing the previous year's growth entirely to make way for fresh shoots emerging from the base. Use clean, sharp secateurs or shears for larger clumps. This is also the time to lift and divide congested clumps every three to four years: dig up the plant, tease or chop the rootball into sections with healthy shoots, and replant the vigorous outer portions, discarding the woody centre. Division rejuvenates flowering and prevents the clump from dying out in the middle.