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What flowering plants do you consider Naff?

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  • ForTheBeesForTheBees Posts: 168
    edited August 2018
    I was going to nominate 'painted heather' but that seems unfair on the heather which didn't ask to be attacked with an airbrush.

    Also, Celosia argentea. I just can't bring myself to take it seriously.
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    I hate shrubs and trees that have been lollipopped by someone who has no idea how to prune, and then complains it doesn't flower.
    I have some dahlias at the moment. Giant Kelvin floodlight. Huge blooms of yellow. Absolutely stunning, one to a vase ( or  fancy whisky bottle). Nowhere near as tasteful as Cafe au lait, but they were cheap in Lidl.

  • AuntyRachAuntyRach Posts: 5,291
    Agree about African Marigolds - must be the colour as they look like 1970s artificial plants. 
    I inherited a few supposedly ‘naff’ border plants: Crocosomia (garden variety orange), Loostrife (common yellow) and Cranesbill/Geranium (ordinary purple) but I suppose they bring a bit of color and cover, and at least not all at the same time.
    I generally find bright pink anything a bit naff, but I also inherited plenty of those so have learned to embrace them, as can’t bring myself to dig up plants which are healthy (I’m looking at you Fuchsias...)


    My garden and I live in South Wales. 
  • PurplerainPurplerain Posts: 1,053
    I have never liked Astrantia, especially the wine coloured one, but I don't think they are naff. Horrible orangy/red Begonias, bought as large corms are binned for being naff though as they were meant to be deep crimson. I have since decided that all Begonias are naff.

    Gladioli are OK bought in bunches, but they are naff in my garden. I also think daffodils are a waste of time unless grown in great swathes on acres.

    Erysimum Bowles Mauve just sits there being purple, so I am binning that and looking for something that at least shows some interest in the passing season. And finally Hemerocallis, just very naff and takes up too much room. 


    SW Scotland
  • raisingirlraisingirl Posts: 7,093
    none of them. I like any plant that will grow well here - which is precious few. I'm not a fan of the square lawn with a foot wide strip of bedding plants 'round the outside - but that's the arrangement not the plants. Personally I wouldn't have hanging baskets but I like them if they are done well on public buildings and in streets. I don't have begonias or dahlias - they won't grow for me. I do have crocosmia, euphorbia, gladioli, chrysanthemums, buddleia, conifers, blue roses, variagation, I even have pampas grass, albeit only a dwarf one.

    I'll agree with painted heathers and succulents. But as ForTheBees says, it's not the plants, it's what's been done to them that I dislike.

    I'm just a plant tramp  :|
    Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon

    “It's still magic even if you know how it's done.” 
  • Mary370Mary370 Posts: 2,003
    I have always grown gladioli...........one of my favourites.  Begonias.......always look fake, I have totally gone off hanging baskets.........but I do admire them when they are well done.
  • JamesOJamesO Posts: 230
    I must be rare like all flower plants hate weeds love giving everything a go
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    I don't like sweet peas. Flowers at the top that I don't really like the smell of / mouldy or crispy at the bottom

    Also, I like my spring to be a subtle precursor to summer ,at which time, colours can go sillydaft.
    For this reason, I don't like leery plants like forsythia red tulips and roundabout daffs.

    Some plants are just plain creepy. Ceanothis dark green and a blue that doesn't go -sinister. black tulips -why? Creepy black grass :o would you want to see a black rose or a black daisy or a black daffodils? Silly question - some would. It takes all sorts. 
    The main thing is to garden for yourself. Fashion and the chattering classes will eventually catch up with you.

    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    Mary370 said:
    I have always grown gladioli...........one of my favourites.  Begonias.......always look fake, I have totally gone off hanging baskets.........but I do admire them when they are well done.
    I think that's why I hate them. For every one you see which is "well done" you see hundreds of tired old neglected horrors. ( ditto lavender hedges )
    Devon.
  • BenCottoBenCotto Posts: 4,718
    I think of double daffodils as little more than painted strumpets.

    I also intensely dislike bedding schemes that juxtapose pink with orange. My Mum used to love “a nice splash of colour” in her garden; even then I thought it was vulgar.
    Rutland, England
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