can you identify these flowers?

[Protea]

There are 3 flowers/plants in one of my borders and i have no idea what they are - or even if they are a weed or a plant i should keep!

the green leafy one with no flower comes up in the spring i'm assuming from a bulb or something - i can't remember it flowering last year.

This border was in a right state when we moved in and i'm at a loss as to what to do with most of it - any help appreciated!

[FoxHillGardener]

Don't know what the first one is, but the second one is Honesty. I can't remember its proper name. It has the round flat seed pods and is one of may favourites as it happens.

The third one is pulmonaria aka lungwort.

So, I'd deffo keep the last two, but don't know what the other thing is. I'm sure someone will be along soon to let you know, though!

[FoxHillGardener]

The honesty is a biennial so it won't come back next year now it's flowered. You'll probably have lots of first year seedling lurking for next year though.

The pulmonaria is a periennial

[Protea]

Don't know what the first one is, but the second one is Honesty. I can't remember its proper name. It has the round flat seed pods and is one of may favourites as it happens.

The third one is pulmonaria aka lungwort.

So, I'd deffo keep the last two, but don't know what the other thing is. I'm sure someone will be along soon to let you know, though!

Ah ha! many thanks - the honesty one makes sense now - i'm sure i saw some of the seedpods there last year but couldn't remember seeing the plant that produced them! So lungwort is definately a flower then and not a weed? the name doesn't sound too promising!

hope someone can enlighten me as to the fist pic - its very odd!

[smallblueplanet]

Is the first one some kind of arum? Did it have any 'flowers' or a flower stalk?

[Protea]

Is the first one some kind of arum? Did it have any 'flowers' or a flower stalk?

No i do't think so - at least i can't remember anything so if it did it wasn't that spectacular!

An arum could make sense - there are 2 clumps of this, both in a shady ish spot near some privet hedge clumps.

[FoxHillGardener]

So lungwort is definately a flower then and not a weed? the name doesn't sound too promising!

It is indeed a flower. Supposedly it's called lungwort as the leaves resemble lungs. I'm preared to accept that without investigating any more!

Also, old herbals list it as a cure for diseases of the lung. There was a belief that plant remedies somehow resembled the organs they were able to treat. Make of that what you will. I'm sure someone on here will be better informed about herbal remedies that I am!

[denise]

I agree with SBP on the first one - one of the arum family, sorry?dont know which one. 2 and 3 are as already identified.

[Flummery]

The first one is like the wild arum known colloquially as Jack in the Pulpit. It has a green, lily-shaped spathe with a long rod shaped centre which turns into the most fantastic red (but poisonous) berries later on. I've got lungwort with the usual blue/pink flowers (called soldiers and sailors) and with white flowers. Can you see why my botanist husband calls me the ministry of silly names?

[Palustris]

The first is Arum for sure. Did you know it has the most different common names of any plant in Britain? Arum maculatum is its Latin binomial.

[Protea]

The first one is like the wild arum known colloquially as Jack in the Pulpit. It has a green, lily-shaped spathe with a long rod shaped centre which turns into the most fantastic red (but poisonous) berries later on. I've got lungwort with the usual blue/pink flowers (called soldiers and sailors) and with white flowers. Can you see why my botanist husband calls me the ministry of silly names?

Ah-ha! that's exactly what it is - i've seen the red berries and wondered where on earth they came from as th foliage has all died down by then!

Its a bit of a pain really, but i suppose i'll put up with it for the time being.

thanks everyone for your identification skills!

[johnty greentoes]

The first looks like an Arun lily of some type. Totally blissful plant if your soil is putting up these quality leaves I'll look forward to seeing the blooms.

[Nicos]

We have no 2 and 3 in our garden... and pleased to have them!
Would love to see the flowers/fruit of no 1 when they arrive!