This was a huge Bougainvillea which we've grown over 3 years. up until about six weeks ago it was at least three times the size and of course covered in leaves, thorns and beautiful pink flowers in summer. We'd never really pruned it (we're not gardeners really), so I decided to give it a good prune, ready for spring (we're in South West France - it was early spring temperatures when i pruned it). Can one overprune a Bougainvillea? Coz that's exactly what I seem to have done. And I can't bear it! (also, the family isn't speaking to me now!)
When i scratch the bark, there are green bits underneath still up to about a meter from the ground. Above that everything is dead.
Any tips, anything that I can do to save this? And any idea what I did wrong??