Green plant

I had lots of these all over the garden but composted most. They don't seem to do much but be very green. They were bought as cottage garden plants and they've never done much more than in the picture. At first I thought a Euphorbia that was just the boring always green type but the leaves look wrong!? Any help greatly appreciated, I've either got a very boring plants that is a border filler or I'm growing a very luscious looking weed???



[ 17. March 2008, 10:12 AM: Message edited by: Johnny ]

 

Hi Johnny, look here, it was ID'd last year.

http://www.gardenerscorner.co.uk/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=37;t=000141


It really is a lovely little plant and the best is that it grows back every year and is no problem at all.

Let us know what colour yours is when it blooms.

 

The flower does look familiar, I'm wondering if only a couple flowered last year. I put about 10 in the compost but kept one. They have a massive root system and filled a virtually empty small compost bin by themselves.

Thanks for that as I've been racking my brain, going through books etc and the leaves are so distinct but I couldn't find anything like it.

 

Most books I read say this is a weed so not sure whether to leave it as only one plant left for now? Not sure why a garden centre sold me a load of these though as cottage garden plants?? I'm wondering if he bought these from a local gardener as there was no name given with the plants?

Decisions, decisions?

 

Well, if you have a semi-shady spot in the garden that you have no plans for, put a good clump of this there. It would be a shame to get rid of it all. I let ours grow where it will and enjoy it every year.

A larger clump looks so much better than a small one too, quite impressive. Perhaps you could give some away rather than composting it.

 

Johnny, I have just had a look at your country garden blog and I thought that you could put some of the plants in pots even.

If you don't mind, I shall send your link on to a friend of mine who will be moving this spring and is looking for ideas for her garden. She quite likes country gardens too, so perhaps your garden will help her plan hers.

 

Thanks Kedi-Gato, it's a bit of a battered little garden at the moment, but hope she gets some inspiration. Not looking forward to the new spell of wintery showers they're promising!

I had it in pots last year but just got pot bound so quickly. Won't be totally sure until next year and see if this plant flowers if it will stay or not as the leaves are a little different to the pictures on the link, but with different varieties etc this is the most likely looking candidate so far. At least it is pretty easy to uproot as long as I don't find it coming up everywhere else!! Leaves very large craters though when I take it up, unfortunately I had put some vegetable seeds down to try a bit of an ornamental kitchen garden this year, now no idea if the seeds are still there or in the compost bin!

 

I went back to the garden centre and now he's thrown up another possibility which is Aquilegia




but again mentions flowers and the wife doesn't think we got any flowers from the plants last year. The leaves are very very similar as I was able to take one of mine and compare with some of the ones for sale that do flower. The only thing he could suggest was that this had a green flower that wasn't very distinct??!!

 

It does look like aquilegia which doesn't always flower. Never heard of a green one but if you take seed from a pink one or a blue one or a piebald one it doesn't breed true. Even seeds from the same plant can produce any old colour as off-spring. It can also stay in the ground for years before germinating. My sister loves them. I think they are a weed but my sister has a cottage type garden. I've been digging them up for years.

 

I think I'll go with you and call this one a weed, but I'll give it this summer just to be sure, it's the kind hearted gardener in me - but no flowers and it's for the compost :D

 

If it's aquilegia Johnny you will be getting it for years if the seed is in your ground.

 

Johnny. I would be ruthless - if its not pulling its weight - chuck it.

There are so many first rate plants around, it would be much better to have some of those. I mentally place plants in my garden into first team and second team categories. I am trying to root out the second team ones and increase the percentage of first team members. If your's doesn't flower - its third team.

The leaves certainly look like Aquilegia, which is a good plant - but only if it flowers well. Why not replace it with a Geranium 'Patricia' as just one example. Its perennial, hardy, makes a mound and has pink flowers for anything up to 15 or 20 weeks in the year. Its part of my first team.

 

I like your method, OK my loss is the composts gain, plus I volunteer at my local garden centre as I'm hopefully doing a horticulture qualification in September so I get discounted plants anyway. Might as well get something with colour now and not wait and see and maybe get more than I bargained for :(