what CANT you grow?

[fruit&vegvirgin]

you know how there are some plants that people swear by, they'll grow anywhere, you don't need to do anything, etc, etc etc.

well I've found there are certain plants that I dont get on with, and would like to know if anyone else is the same!

my 'troublesome' ones are:

honeysuckle: yeah, I know, its easy peasy. and in fact it grows in my Kent garden now but never in the London ones I had before. but somehow its very unsatisfactory, doesnt smell like the honeysuckle I remember from childhood.
trachelospermum jasminoides: v. fashionable, perennial, evergreen, sometimes called Confederate Jasmine. am on my 3rd plant, the b*gg*r does nothing for me!!, just sulks at ground level for years on end.
tulips - miserable b*st*rds!

over to you!

[sewer rat]

Hi FVV
What variety of honeysuckle do you have - not all are heavily scented - you may have one that doesn't perfume the air (nae luck there then)

[Alice]

Sorry you can't get honysuckle to do it for you. Grows like a weed here in several varieties and smells like paradise. What I can't grow is phlox. Had it in a previous garden and it thrived but here I plant them and never see them again. Likewise Cosmos. My sisteri n law had it for a weed but I've tried it from transplants and seed with no results. Other problem plants are Alysum,Aubretia and all their alpine relatives. Know they like a bit of lime but makes no difference. They die out after the first year. Given up and just grow what does well.

[Shortie]

I fail miserably at keeping rosemary and lavendar cuttings.

Oh, and I always manage to kill fushias. Quit how I never know as eveyone tells me how cronically hardy they are! Not giving in though. Buyout 6 for £5 in my local garden centre last w/e and am going to have another go in my 'new' garden this year

[JennieAtkinson]

Lupins - tried them in pots, in the garden, grow bags, just about anything. Basically given up on them - and i LOVE them! Big showy plants that would really look good in my big garden.

[bramble]

Can't grow Lilyof the Valley. Tried it in all parts of the garden, in sun, in shade, even in a container, so have given up and don,t even try anymore.

[Shortie]

Lily of the valley was like a weed in my front garden and when I dug it up the roots were soooo crowded!

[fruit&vegvirgin]

shortie - I grew an entire lavender hedge from cuttings once! I think I took thecuttings, rooted them in that gel stuff (not trusting my abilities wth straightforward stuff like water), left them in a cold frame for about a year, and they just went away like mad.
rat - dont know what variety, I just inherited them here. because of my previous failures I wouldnt try to plant one again...
jennie - I would love lupins, but they are the one plant my other half dislikes, and as they are the only plant he voices an opinion about it seems fair enough not to grow them! but they do well down here - weedlike.

[JennieAtkinson]

Lavender - now that's another one I can't grow. Looks as though it is going to be good the first summer, nice bit of growth ......... then dies

[nick the grief]

At one time if you saw a really nice honeysuckle or better still the old Woodbine (which has the best smell of all) in about august time, you could go up to it wit a plastic bag, cut of a couple of bits of branch that was just starting to ripen.

Then, rush back home & cut the stem into sections about a fingers width either side of the leaf and then put them in to a good gritty John Innes (No1 or seed & cutting + extra grit) cover with a plastic bag & stick them in the cold frame till the following spring. Hoefully they should have rooted.

But of course you can't do this now

[JennieAtkinson]

Why not ?

[nick the grief]

Tis illegal to take flowers or seed from the wild (Wildlife & countryside act), So whilst I can't tellyou how to do it (I guess this would be aiding & abetting) I can remeniss anacdotally if you see what I mean

A bit like I can't tell you that Rhubarb leaves make a very effective spray against Aphids - cos that would be against some EEC directive

[andrewo]

True it is illegal to take from the wild, but if it's hanging over someone's fence

[JennieAtkinson]

Sorreee - wasn't thinking they were wild flowers

[nick the grief]

Technically if you cut a plant thats hanging over your fence you're supposed to offer it back to the owner other wise it's classed as theft !!!