Plant at your peril!

Have you ever wished you hadn’t introduced a plant into your garden which turned out to be a thug?  Well here are some examples from our Friday Forum members.

 

 Gill’s ALLIUM PARADOXUM seeds itself from bulbils, but the Normale species is better.

Another thug is her CARDAMINE BULBIFERA

 Sue G sowed CAMPANULA PERSICIFOLIA in her then brand new garden and has since appeared everywhere growing to 3 – 4 ft

 
She also bemoans her GERANIUM NUDOSUM which she says “seeds like fury” but is good in shade

  ACHILLEA THE PEARL, useful as a late flowerer but won’t stay put, unless in a tub.

 And her ALCHEMILLA ALPINA runs amok

And she complains that her LYSIMACHIA CLETHROIDES “travels”

PELTHARIA ALLIACEA grows to 2-3 ft and is attractive

               EUONYMOUS EUROPAEUS (SPINDLE TREE) produces suckers

 PERENNIAL SWEET PEA (WHITE) is rampant, has no scent, is deeply rooted and comes back time after time.

GRAHAM W’S

 SYMPHORICARPUS ALBUS (SNOWBERRY) can take over if not checked

   And the PHYSALIS ALKEKENGI (CHINESE LANTERN) is pretty but invasive

ECHINOPS ‘GLOBE THISTLE’ has an attractive flower but seeds itself everywhere.

                   

                           GERANIUM ROBERTIANUM

Linda says: This plant has spread over an area of my garden.  It’s small, insignificant and easy to pull out, but seeds itself in amongst other plants.  I first spotted it last summer and I don’t know where it came from but I wish it would disappear.

Commonly known as Herb-Robert, Red Robin, Death come quickly, Storksbill, Dove's Foot, Crow's Foot

In the state of Washington, it is known as Stinky Bob and classified as a noxious weed.

In traditional herbalism, Herb Robert was used as a remedy for toothache and nosebleeds and for healing wounds. Freshly picked leaves have an odour resembling burning tyres when crushed, and if they are rubbed on the body the smell is said to repel mosquitoes. The active ingredients are tannins, a bitter compound called geraniin and essential oils. It was carried to attract good luck, and due to its analogical association with storks, to enhance fertility.

If you need some advice in removing unwanted plants, click on the link:

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=479

 

Quiz

Kate and Maggie compiled a clever quiz which required us to identify the names of celebrities from their photos with a flower theme, so we had everyone from Buddy Holly to Kate Bush plus some cryptic clues.  Highly entertaining with some very creative guesswork!

Display Table

Ann brought some crispy willow (salix babylonica) which she offered to members for propagation.  Apparently they take well but don’t like being transplanted

 

 Ann’s pot of plants which are currently in bloom in her garden.  Full details to follow

Judith’s clematis seed pods of Bill Mackenzie which are a great favourite of the sparrows

Margaret was looking for an answer on why the stems on her rose bushes had split

 

Gill’s Iris Sheila Ann Germany

Gill’s pot of predominantly lilac flowers include iris lazica, Ipheion Wisley blue,white primrose, snowdrop Cordelia, which forms a tight clump, Hepatica, Anemone blanda, and a white  Pulmonaria, rubra var. Alba which spreads well.

Notice Board

The next meeting, on 20^th March, will be a presentation by Mike Davy on The South Downs Way and Gardens of Parham House, Surrey.