Firstly, DO NOT cut in to the wood of the lavender and cut back so that about an inch of green growth is left.

The wood does not produce new growth, and so if cut back to wood, they would need replacing next year.

I am not sure about the Pyracantha.

You do not need to protect Pyracantha.

Thanks for the advice Alextb re the lavender.
Thanks also Pimpernel re my Pyracantha.
Im new to gardening after living in a flat for eleven years. So all advice is welcome.

Lucky you....Enjoy your garden Pat.

You are very welcome. There will always be people here to help with any questions you may have.

Welcome to GoY.

Pyracantha is semi evergreen. In a mild winter it keeps a lot of its leaves and in a harsh one it loses them, but they usually come back in spring.

??, Steragram? Pyracantha is evergreen, even in a bad winter... and it is known as evergreen, not semi evergreen.

When you do trim the Lavender, use the tips as cuttings. Trim them to about 3 inces and insert into a gritty compost. Water and put in a sheltered place. They root quite easily.

That must be in London and the South Bamboo. In the Midlands where I used to live they often lost most of their leaves in a hard winter and came up smiling in Spring again.

Goodness me - I know quite a few evergreens lost leaves last year, even privet, but wasn't aware that pyracantha would regularly do so in colder regions.

all my pyracanthas stay evergreen [even in last years minus 20 degrees temp ]so i must have been lucky as I live in Scotland :o)

Manchester, They are Evergreen here.

Mine was here last winter too. I wonder what they had against me in the Midlands?

Thanks Volunteer/Steragram/Bamboo and Helen60 for Lavender/Pyracantha advice. I live in the Midlands and will take on all your garden tips. I am old in years but a novice in the garden and Im keen to learn all about gardening. So thankyou for helping me.

Thanks Volunteer/Steragram/Bamboo and Helen60 for Lavender/Pyracantha advice. I live in the Midlands and will take on all your garden tips. I am old in years but a novice in the garden and Im keen to learn all about gardening. So thankyou for helping me.