What Not To Plant

When I moved to this garden 16 years ago I was a complete gardening novice. Already in the unkempt borders were spanish bluebells and rampions (both introduced as seeds from a valley in Boscastle by my partner who liked them). To make matters worse, and thinking to brighten up things a little I planted MONTBRETIA! Yes, I know, how stupid could you get. The point is though, no-one told me that 16 years later I would still be trying to get rid of them!
Even now I make daft mistakes. I planted a maclaea, it looked very nice and innocent in a pot in the garden centre, but when it was released from it's pot it immediately dived to 200 ft and then started to spread out. it took me ages to dig out.
Am I the only one to make these idiotic mistakes (please don't say yes). Rant over, feel better now.

 

No, you are not alone. I think everyone who likes plants has done something similar. It does not help when the plants do not grow as they are supposed to do though. Would you believe that Anemone japonica is one of our most thuggish plants? It spreads by roots and by seed AND digging it out is fun, cos how do you propagate it? By root cuttings.
Even Alan whatisface Tichbum planted the variegated ground elder once!

 

Got the Anemone too. Maybe nurseries should put danger signs on plants, Green - nice and well behaved, Amber - watch out, Red - JUST DON'T!
Other plants to watch out for are Perennial Sunflower Lemon Queen (makes an enormous thicket in about an hour) and those jolly little Welsh Poppies, they seed everywhere and the tap roots go down to 3 ft.

 

One of my nightmare plants for spreading in our previous garden was Achemilla (ladys mantle)it got everywhere.

 

We've all done it - and sometimes we even DELIBERATELY choose thugs! I did this year - vinca! :D And even euphorbia!!! :eek: I wanted things that would survive the most persistent rabbit attacks!! But even I wouldn't use Alchemilla mollis! :rolleyes:

 

Even after seeing the effects of the wonderful 'ground elder' I purchased the variegated variety on the understanding that it was not a spreader.............we all have to name and shame. Alchemilla,Anemone, Welsh poppies - I still have them all (and others).

Does anyone know of a good squirrel trainer - it would be great if there was some way of stopping these thugs (another 'flame thrower' thread?).

 

CHobart :D

 

Dog tooth violet! I found a small clump in my old garden and thought how pretty, until it took over completely and was the devil to get out. I don't use weedkiller and so when it got into the teent tiny cracks in the paths it had to stay. I planted some Montbretia this year because it looks so nice growing at the side of the lanes down here. It hasn't flowered yet but is it a ticking time bomb? Oh and the Welsh Poppies are going in the wild flower meadow :D :D

 

Now you see, there is where we differ. Lemon Queen has made a thicket, where I wanted it to, it has not spread beyond it. Meconopsis cambrica struggles to survive and I like it anyway. Agree about A. mollis. Would not mind but there is a smaller leafed version which has just the same effect, but does not set seed as easily. Wild violets are not something I deliberately planted so I did not include them, but they are awful things to remove. Did you know that they can set seed without ever flowering?
Nurseries are not going to label plants like that, they are in the business of selling, and the easier it is to propagate then the cheaper it is to produce.
Final warning, Galtonia candidcans, Summer Hyacinth! Anyone want a couple of million seeds?

 

Thanks, but no thanks, Palustris! :D

 

I'm not even sure what they're called, tiger lilies I think, deep orange things, undoubtedly pretty, but they invade everywhere around them.

 

Hi, Palustris, you have solved a mystery for me- I have some clumps of violets on which I keep finding seedheads and haven't seen a flower yet....
Alpine strawberries are my biggest spreader, which I don't mind as they are easier to remove than the ground elder which they are crowding out.
Alchemilla Mollis, Aquilegia, and Love-in-a-mist are also quite rampant!

 

Celia, I would get rid of the Montbretia. The small clump I planted 16 years ago is now everywhere and has gone feral in all our hedgerows. It seeds as well as doubling the corms every year. The corms multiply downwards so is very difficult to completly remove. Ticking time bomb for sure.

 

Personally, I love the stuff! It's a lovely vivid splash of colour, and it can be contained if you're ruthless enough!! How can anyone possibly want rid of such a lovely plant...... http://images.google.co.uk/images?q=crocosmia+lucifer&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&sa=N&tab=wi
a message from the crocosmia protection society...

(no, not really! :D

 

Apogamy! Reproduction without sex! So there you have it Liz.