What plants would you not have in the garden?

Discussion in 'General Gardening Discussion' started by Melinda, Oct 7, 2011.

  1. Bilbo675

    Bilbo675 Total Gardener

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    Let me throw another one into the mix - 'grass' :D

    I eventually got rid of it all in my mum's front & back gardens, because they were small and there so many things I wanted to do it eventually went, the back garden grass was replaced by 2 ponds and surrounding bog area, and then lots of trees and shrubs underplanted with suitable perennials and bulbs etc.

    The front was even smaller so that went as well and was covered in bark chippings and then planted up again with a couple of trees and some shrubs creating a lovely woodland feel (especially now after a good 10 years :thumb:)

    Now I'm in my own house I have two grassed areas again, one has been reduced to make room for the veg patch and other will be staying now I have 2 young sons and there is a swing and slide on it for them :thumb:

    Although I'm not keen on grass I do admire a well kept lawn, but I just think the time spent keeping a lawn in tip top condition could be better spent elsewhere in the garden - just my opinion :D :thumb:
     
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    • shiney

      shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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      Bilbo, it depends on the size of the garden. We have lawn over, at least, a third of an acre. That leaves at least as much in flower beds and veggie plot. We couldn't possibly cope with all that being beds as well.

      At the height of the growing season I spend about four hours a week mowing and cutting the edges. It takes considerably more time than that keeping a much smaller area of beds in order. Apart from the cutting we do no maintenance on the lawns. They must be at least 50% weeds and moss but they look good, and green, as long as they are cut regularly.

      This also allows us to watch the, literally, hundreds of birds that walk around our lawn as we have big bird feeders. The pheasants, and their babies, stroll around and the green woodpeckers look lovely digging in the lawn. :dbgrtmb:

      The birds get through 20kg of seed every six weeks :rolleyespink:. They have got used to us and still come to feed even when we are sitting in the garden and when we had the builders in they shared their lunch with the baby pheasants :D
       
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      • Aesculus

        Aesculus Bureaucrat 34 (Admin)

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        Well never say never however I feel strongly that I dislike variegated leaves with purple flowers and I really dislike spotted laurel however the straight green kind is rather nice:sunny:
         
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        • ClaraLou

          ClaraLou Total Gardener

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          'Hyacinths to feed thy soul', or something. They smell wonderful. Have they started breeding them in lurid neon hues, now, Hydrogen? I've always thought of them as rather soft in colour.

          English bluebells (close relatives of the showy garden hyacinth) smell just as nice.
           
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          • HYDROGEN86

            HYDROGEN86 Head Gardener

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            Yea grass can be a bit of a nuisance sometimes..in fact more so than the average weed. I think hyacinths bother me so much because it is not an English bluebell. This thread is weird :heehee:
             
          • longk

            longk Total Gardener

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            I'm an appalling plant bigot! A short version of my list.............

            Pansies
            Petunias
            Bizzy Lizzies
            Roses
            Bamboo
            Ivy
            Periwinkle
            That truly awful salmon coloured perennial Lobelia
            Bearded Irises
            Bold and brassy Clematis
            Any daisy like flower
             
          • shiney

            shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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            Another person who keeps looking in my garden :heehee: :loll:
             
          • longk

            longk Total Gardener

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            I certainly intend to on your open day!!

            I forgot to add ..........
            Heuchera
            Variegated foliage (with a couple of exceptions)
             
          • shiney

            shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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            I'm very glad to hear you'll be along. You'll be most welcome :dbgrtmb:. I'll be issuing the special GC invite sometime next month :D - a personally guided tour and then sandwiches and a chat for members. Some members, when they know who shall be coming (they usually say so on the invitation thread) bring plants to swap with each other. :thumbsup:

            I'm pleased you added those last two hates - I've got them as well :loll: :loll:
             
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            • graham the gardener 1978

              graham the gardener 1978 i'm addicted to gardening and i love it

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              cultivated ground elder
              houttuynia cordata chameleon
              bearded iris (only due to short flower period and destruction of flower at the hint of rain)
              phlomis (yuk)
              not keen on variegated leaves
              aucubas
              more to add:scratch:
               
            • shiney

              shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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              You're still all listing the plants I have in my garden. :loll:
               
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              • Madahhlia

                Madahhlia Total Gardener

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                Yup. Got most of those. Would you mind if I asked you what you HAVE got in your garden?
                 
              • graham the gardener 1978

                graham the gardener 1978 i'm addicted to gardening and i love it

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                shiney i'm sure your garden is beautiful. :dbgrtmb: we all have our own tastes imagine if we liked all the same plants how boring is thats:rolleyespink:
                 
              • kyleleonard

                kyleleonard Total Gardener

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                After today, I've decided I probably won't have pansies again.. they've self-seeded, and look quite horrible during winter.
                 
              • ARMANDII

                ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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                I think, like Shiney, I'm in trouble here as I have most of the dislikes listed in my garden.

                One plant I would not have in my garden is Privet. I loathe it with great feeling as it reminds me of hard times when I was a kid, but also because it stinks and starves the soil with a six foot radius of it.:(

                I take the Peony being listed is the tree peony as the herbaceous Peony is a fantastic plant when in flower, albeit the flowering period is much too brief but then so are Oriental Perennial Poppies......and I wouldn't be without 6 or varieties of those. Hydrangeas are a pain if you want a Blue one on alkali soil but since I only like and grow White varieties they're welcome in my garden.:heehee: Ladies Mantle lines the path completely, on both sides, leading to my Front Door as it looks glorious when in flower and I've had many compliments on them by passers by.:D
                 
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