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Weed or not a weed

widgetwilk annwidgetwilk ann Posts: 361
in Plants
This has appeared in my front garden, there is one in my neighbours, not very well-kept garden, looks nice but don't want it springing up all over if it is a weed.

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited June 2021
    Centranthus ruber ... a pretty flower that I'm very fond of ... it grows all over the cliffs and stone walls in the West Country ... but its fluffy seeds do get everywhere, so deadhead assiduously if you don't want it to take over.  Fortunately the seedlings are easily recognisable. 

    There is a paler pink form, and a white one.  Yours looks like the more handsome red one.

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • widgetwilk annwidgetwilk ann Posts: 361
    thanks, will dead head it when finished flower, thanks again,
  • TopbirdTopbird Posts: 8,355
    Agree with Dove's ID. I always associate this plant with childhood holidays in the West Country where it seems to grow everywhere.

    A plant I like and have grown - but it needs to be dead headed as soon as flowering is finished or there will be seedlings everywhere - particularly at the base of walls, between paving slabs etc etc. Then it becomes a weed....
    Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
  • widgetwilk annwidgetwilk ann Posts: 361
    Thanks, this one has seeded its self in my gravel front garden,
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    It's what they do ... they love a bit of gravel ... it took quite a while to convince it that it could also grow in a soil-filled flower bed here ... but it's getting the hang of it now 😂

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • widgetwilk annwidgetwilk ann Posts: 361
    This is my neighbours one,


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