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Humble beauty

amancalledgeorgeamancalledgeorge Posts: 2,736
in Plants
Was admiring the creeping thyme just now which is covered in blooms, nothing particularly glamorous but so beloved by the pollinators and a humble hard working plant all year round.

What are your favourite humble plants in your garden that make you happy even if they're nothing particularly spectacular?


To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow

Posts

  • PoppypussPoppypuss Posts: 143
    I love my catmint, and so do the cats. Like the thyme it’s covered in pollinators but it’s so easy to grow and so common that it’s easy to take for granted. 
  • josusa47josusa47 Posts: 3,530
    edited June 2020
    Not exactly a humble plant, quite showy, but I'm besotted with Sicilian chamomile Anthemis punctata since discovering it in my new garden when I moved house six years ago.  It gives a lot in return for very little.  Beautiful evergreen foliage, grey-tinged, finely divided and mildly aromatic.  In late April-May, a burst of cheery daisy flowers, and if you dead-head them, a smaller show a few weeks later.  It's winter- and drought-hardy, seems to tolerate any soil (I've given lots away to people in different places), and all it asks is a drop of sunshine.  Spreads into sizeable clumps, but doesn't self-seed, and cuttings root very readily.
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    Alchemilla mollis, can't imagine being without it.
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • BijdezeeBijdezee Posts: 1,484
    I grow 6 types of thyme, mostly in large terracotta containers. They're wonderful for insect life and useful in the kitchen too ofc. I've also got winter savoury which is much like thyme in habit and flowers but is evergreen.

    I'm also a bit of a nepeta (cat mint) fan too, also Perovskia and Salvia. They are all loved by the bees. Most of my plants are grown to help wildlife and also for culinary use. The cat turns her nose up at cat mint though  :/
  • amancalledgeorgeamancalledgeorge Posts: 2,736
    Ha!ha! Cats keep us guessing @Bijdezee
    To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    I think this has fallen out of favour of late, at least with the garden designers, but I love Verbena Bonariensis. Undemanding, always reliable, pollinator magnet. I use both regular and lollipop versions, they can slot in anywhere and go with everything.

    Big brother:

    Baby Brother:

    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    edited June 2020
    Feverfew. Lime leaves without flowers. Dark green with flowers
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • BijdezeeBijdezee Posts: 1,484
    @Nollie. It is an attractive plant and so welcomed by butterflies, it just self seeds so much, that's the only down side imo.

    I'm also surprised to see so many bees on my nicotiana this year. They are mostly open at night but the bees visit them early before they shut down for the day it seems. 
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    @Bijdezee, yes I hear they can be rampant self-seeders, but mine don’t self-seed at all, weird!
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • amancalledgeorgeamancalledgeorge Posts: 2,736
    My verbena has self seeded like crazy...will have to transplant a few to bare areas. Mind you seeing little verbena plants is nicer than new shoots of the neighbour's knotweed 😂
    To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow
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