I think Llandudno must have the world's most ungrateful goldfinches. When we first moved here, I bought nyjer seed for them, and a special feeder to put it in. The goldfinches came, but never showed a flicker of interest in the nyjer and just ate the sunflower seed mix along with all the other birds. Two years ago I sowed teasel, specially for the goldfinches. When they flowered and seeded last summer, the goldfinches came again, and ignored the teasels. So now I'm weeding out hundreds of teasel seedlings.
I’m wondering whether it’s all the sunshine and warmth last year creating bigger than usual ‘food reserves’ in the crown and roots ... then an early warm spell meant that the plants started growing early ...
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Some things get way big here, Agastache Black Adder is 1.75m tall and still growing, too-tall Salvia Caradonna as well. Tithonia plants got to nearly 3m last year. Other things, like echinacea, heleniums and achillea politely keep to their stated heights. Will be thinning plants and Chelsea chopping like mad next year in an effort to control the uncontrollables!
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
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Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.