Flowers to Take Over My Garden ?

[JennieAtkinson]

In the thread Flowers I Hate, there seems to be a dislike of flowers that take over the garden.

PLEASE let me know which ones have taken over in your garden - they might stand a chance of growing up here normally.

Desperate of Shetland ...................

[Lesley Jay]

It's not a flower but we are being invaded from next door by ivy. It has smothered the apple trees and taken over the privet hedge. I want to poison it but my husband will not let me because it might upset the neighbours!

[Nicos]

No idea what it is called...but our neighbours have problems with a perennial which,if I describe it,someone may be able to put a name to. It grows about 18ins high in individual spikes and has star shaped yellow flowers all over it between the leaves. Quite pretty really, but I recall my parents had a similar problem with it and unfortunately its roots had intergrown with the roots of their privet hedge. Forget me nots do too well in my garden,so I just thin them out.

[sewer rat]

Nicos
It may be a crocosmia variety but not sure.

Jennie
Here are some plants that go ape in my garden
1. Grape Hyacinth - must be Muscari neglectum
2. Crocosmia - not sure of variety but 18" high, with orange blooms
3. Welsh Poppy - already discussed
4. Oriental Poppy - likewise
5. Honesty
6. Everlasting Sweet Pea - Lathyrus grandiflorus
7. Centaurea / Knapweed - Centaurea montana

[Lesley Jay]

Rat is it possible to take cuttings from Honesty?

[sewer rat]

LJ
As far as I know, Honesty (Lunaria) can't be propogated by cuttings.
Seeds should be sown in early summer as this is a biennial. Either sow in situ or move the young plants the autumn following sowing, into final positions. Never tried it myself, it was here when I moved in and self seeds freely all over. I do not find it an attractive plant until it flowers and produces it's beautifully transparent seed pods - in fact I would go so far as to say it's bloody ugly and scruffy looking

[Jaxom]

Nigella (Love-in-the-Mist) seeds all over the garden. Light blue and pink flowers with pods and is a wonderful dried flower texture to add to any dried flower arrangement.
Jax

[Jaxom]

Foxgloves have a habit of taking over the garden. Just a reminder that Foxgloves are poisonous I love them and grow them at the back of the flowerbed. The leaves seem to survive through the winter but Slugs love the leaves.
Jax

[sewer rat]

Jax
I cannot get foxgloves to take over my garden - I plant some each year but for whatever reason, the seed they spread so keenly doesn't seem to take. Agree that slugs & co love the leaves but they absolutely adore the leaves of my Phlomis (Jerusalem Sage). They are also quite keen on Honesty leaves.

[Nicos]

Nope not a crocosmia..any other ideas? Not got grass type leaves and the flowers grow inbetween the leaves on the stalk.

[fruit&vegvirgin]

Periwinkle - vinca major or minor - seems to be a surefire do anything do anywhere in my garden.
rat - I had fab foxgloves last year in a bed that had not previously been worked on. cos they are biennial, I wonder if that made a difference? ie, stirring up the seedlings made them get on with it?

[bramble]

Neirine, no matter how often I dig up the bulbs they keep coming up again and multiplying. Likewise with Crocosmia, also Love-in-a-mist.

[Shortie]

LJ, Cornflower seem pretty hardy, with lovely flowers and shed tonned of seeds so might take... If you want some seeds I have an excess, if I thought people would want them I'll put them in the swap shop. If you want to give them a go PM me and I'll send you some over..

Also, if they like your ground, Lily of the Valley tend to take over, but they are poisonous like fox glove... (haven't got any of that to give I'm afraid, dug it up as it was growing where my car now parks)

What about Poppy?

[SueA]

Welsh poppies, nigella, alchemilla mollis, euphorbia, cerinthe major, ivy. None of them particularly showy but they all self-seed or spread everywhere in my garden.

[Birdie Wife]

No idea what it is called...but our neighbours have problems with a perennial which,if I describe it,someone may be able to put a name to. It grows about 18ins high in individual spikes and has star shaped yellow flowers all over it between the leaves.

Sounds like yellow loosestrife? THere's also a purple one but the yellow one is more common up here.

Can I play devil's advocate for honesty? I know it isn't everyone's cuppa, but I like the flowers because they go on for ages and bees love it. The seedheads are the icing on the cake for me.