WHAT ARE WE DOING IN THE GARDEN TODAY - 2021

Never thought about that @Loofah ...have you got seed pods on them out in the garden now? I'll have to go and check mine, very cold here, would the seeds ( if I can find any) still be viable??
Love a challenge

 

One of the Acanthus probably the more commonly seen Acanthus mollis judging by the leaves.

 

Thank you so much..my head was going in full think mode even my good gardening books could not help me...doing all the bank paperwork yesterday was OTT but you have to do things their way or nothing gets completed..Here is the book I took the Acanthus photo
from and this lovely book cost me a whole Euro at a charity fair a few years ago.

 

It always seem hard to find a plant in a book or even online. That one is A. Spinosus they have a different leaf like the name spinny / spikey, they can difficult to remove in the wrong place due to their large tap root. They is quite a few varieties even a red one but like Rue ledan ( white ) I would like to fit it in my own garden one day.

 

A.Spinosus...the flowers are exactly like ours but as you say the photo shows spiky leaves, so do not know what name it has...I will find out though as tucked here with log burner just ticking over(otherwise it puts you so zzzzz)not playing in the garden today...again...

 

Acanthus mollis - Wikipedia
This must be it....

 

correct....

 

My parents had a lot of it in their garden. I do like the look of it and have saved some seeds, but I'm a bit apprehensive of introducing it to our garden,since reading up on it and seeing warnings of it being on the invasive list.

 

Well its never invaded here and its dies down quite a bit before we cut it to the ground..By this time we can look around the garden and find maybe 4-6 little babies, I can think of at least 6 One has already been given to our new young neighbours, they kindly gave us some eggs so the plant was a thank you gesture.
They are working from Home because of the Covid19. they have a handsome cockerel who is well behaved and has 4 birds to keep in order.. its unbelievable and when I tell you about 'ours 'you will not believe it... You cant beat free range eggs when You know where they have come from.

So all I can say about the Acanthus is my own experiences. I never had seen the plant before I came here, so having had the plant in our care for 6 years it has never caused an issue like next doors Bamboo and their Brambles...at least the previous owners kept their garden under control and would strim the adjoining boundary right down to the ground with a good 1 metre from our garden...
That is the official law here everything on your plot has to be 1 metre clearance from the next plot. It does not happen though very often...Our workshop is part of the boundary and its a huge building that was built in' have no idea what year.' but looks 60 or 70's....40 sq metres maybe in size...The previous neighbour did say it should not be there....nicely...

 

Should have said eradicate really...when the clumps need dividing, moving or even clearing completely, is almost impossible to get all the roots out...so once you have it, you always have it apparently!

https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/invasive-garden-plants/

 

Took a leisurely long walk to the GC today to pick up some more bird feed and came back with a Kilmarnock Willow in a carrier bag
We have been issued a weather warning for more snow so fleeced a large Marguerite Daisy plant in the border. I think anymore snow might just see it off.

 

Haven't done anything, it's been frozen all day and now it's snowing.