Flowers to Take Over My Garden ?

[Nicos]

Hey Birdie Wife ...well done!! thats the one! I googled images and although there are quite a variety, a couple of them look spot on! (first nature.com is the one I'm trying to describe) Must admit I like them too...that's how my parents got them in the first place as I was given some roots from a friend's mother when I was a teenager. Next doors have thiers growing in the gaps of a west facing stone wall, so they don't have to be in boggy areas.
Jenny- if you want to try some of the roots I'll get some for you as I know they are going to rip them up as they don't like yellow flowers! PM me if you do! Might be worth growing in a tub and then decide if you like them.

[JennieAtkinson]

Thanks all - thats given me alot to think about!

I have just brought crocosmia bulbs as I found they grew well last year and seem to stand up well to the wind. Last November planted loads of Grape Hyacinth which I got going cheap. I must admit alchemilla mollis does go mad here, I am always pulling it up. Will try Nigella and obvioulsy my poppies and bought a packet of Honesty seeds, so hopefully I am on the right track. And thanks Nicos - will PM you!

[nick the grief]

I've got a montana Clematis that is rampant it's a dusky pink double called Broughton Star grows about 2' a week !!! I'll root you a cutting of it JA see what it makes of Shetland.

[andrewo]

Montana clematis is a bully and an early clematis, it can put on up 50' in one season and needs to be pruned back each year or it will become woody. The flower that has taken over my garden is poppies and forget me nots, they just get everywhere but I love them.

I have a clematis called radar love (yellow) and it grows fast and has the bonus of having the loveliest seed heads (grows well from seed, I grew it from seed and they all came true). Have just moved it but can collect seed for you later in the season.

Daffodils would be good too, they are cheap and you can cover a field, also a good mix of meadow flowers.

[Alice]

Nicos, I think the plant with the yellow flowers may be Loosestrife. For plants that go ape in my garden you cant beat foxgloves, crocosmia, bluebells, forget me nots, poached egg plants and prunella (don't plant this one). The rhododendrons also seed everywhere along with the rowans, ash, oak and chestnut.

[sewer rat]

The worlds worst tree for self seeding absolutely everywhere must be the sycamore

[andrewo]

I love cosmos too, they just give so much for so little input. I'd love to plant a field of them.

[nick the grief]

Thats true Rat. When they had a go at the woodland nr me, I think 90% of the trees felled were Sycamore - Another damn import from america to go with Grey Squirrels & Signal Crayfish!!!

[andrewo]

Sycamore are favourites for squirrels, they like to strip the bark but are pernicious and carfry disease that has infected some of our own trees. Give me a British Oak!!!!!!!

[nick the grief]

They are on the way out thanks to some fungus thats coming here from america Andrew! There was a programme on Radio4 that I cought yesterday & they said that it is being transported here via Rhododendron palnts that are imported as part of the horticultural trade. Also Global warming isn't helping and as most Oaks take about 100 years to mature, they can't adapt quick enough to the changes in climate. Scary stuff it was.

[andrewo]

Sudden Death Syndrome, read about it, the rodendrons are also killing Oaks and causing Sudden Death in them - terrible.

More infro here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/life/scien...348377,00.html

And the RHS response
http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/sudden_oak_death.asp

[nick the grief]

Thats it, they were saying that they would have to import Okas from abroad that will cope with the weather better, places like Spain & S. France but they would still be Q. Robour

[andrewo]

It looks like this, anyone sees this and follow the advice on the RHS site, don't ignore it or it could spread, also avoid imported rhodendrons.

[nick the grief]

They grubbed a lot out in North Wales becouse they were crowding out native species. The leaves release a toxin when they break down that inhibits seed germination. so it gets rid of competition, cunning stuff nature.

[andrewo]

Frightening how fast this spreads, four years ago it was a whisper and now it is everywhere.

Further info here:
http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/EPAversion3.pdf/$FILE/EPAversion3.pdf