I put a plum (well gage really) tree in the wrong place. The fruit is delicious but the tree is way too large and the suckering is becoming unmanageable. Suckers have now reached my house about 5-6m from the trunk but suspiciously close to the route of a drain. I think it probably has to come out. I'm sad as it was a present and had to live in a pot for a few years before I had a garden and I just didn't think long-term enough before planting it out.
@noxon I have the same issue with a gage tree. It was my mothers pride and joy and she loved the fruit. Mum died and the tree remains as a now diseased unproductive thing that sends up suckers all over the lawn. We don’t have the heart to take it out.
We didn’t plant it but the Chameleon plant (Houttuynia cordata variegatus) is unstoppable. We’ve tried patiently digging it up, poison, concrete to stop the spread. Nothing works.
I often reflect on the moment that the old house owner casually mentioned that there was a ‘lovely variegated plant that comes up in the summer’ when we bought the house in November.
Oh my agree with this, it was at my last house and one of the reasons for moving! Think you must have bought my house😁
Bidens full stop.... it's still sold today and is claimed not to be hardy but it is both in Surrey and Wiltshire their are blogs proclaiming it's loveliness I bought mine at Great dixter about 8 years ago in different colours most colours died as they should but the yellow and white is a monster and will take over it's very difficult like every single piece of root has to be removed to rid yourself of it which is impossible as it sneaks in to the middle of established plants so unless you rip out your whole garden it will pop up again and say hello! Next June. Don't buy it I beg you.......
Jacob's Ladder (Polemonium caeruleum). It was very attractive and well-behaved in my Yorkshire garden, so I brought seeds with me to Ireland (before Brexit, I hasten to add!). It's attractive here too, until it gets mildew... and it seeds EVERYWHERE.
Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
I don't think I regret any of the plants I've planted, they all have a special place in my heart. Although my succulent game is weak and could use some work.
What a useful thread, I feel I will be referring to this alot now and in the future!
Totally agree! I started the thread in a fit of rage but now it's incredibly useful! 😂
I only recently saw this, @latimer, because my quote notifications seem faulty. Made me laugh in recognition though. Think I have erased my memory of the trauma of any regretful plantings, but if they rise to the surface, I will add mine...
Sorry to witness the demise of the forum. 😥😥😥😡😡😡I am Spartacus
My garden is largely unimproved, dry clay so anything that manages to cling on to life and simply exist is encouraged.
Any plant that is 'invasive' (in the informal sense as per the topic of this post) is quite valuable to me and i'm fascinated in some species' Tryffid like ability to thrive in certain areas. There are many species mentioned above that i also have, namely Cape Figwort, Yellow Loosestrife, Hardy Geranium, teasel, verbascum, holyhock, verbena, digitalis, Soleirolia, hardy(ish) tradescantia and Creeping Jenny...and i'm always on the lookout for more. I like these plants because if i decide to neglect my garden for a little while then i know they'll be fine and i'm always pleased, curious and surprised to see them pop up in other places. These are my favourite plants so its hard for me to be disappointed when they move themselves about the plot.
I don't obsess over my garden in the traditional sense (i.e. neatness), but i do obsess over encouraging the chaotic proliferation of certain species and find joy in the simplicity of plant life, whatever form it takes. If something is somewhere that i don't want it then i just slowly and methodically take the time to dig it up and move it somewhere else. If some remains then i'm never particularly bothered.
I've spent my career creating formal gardens and retreating back to my chaotic little garden fiefdom is a great tonic to my organised and fairly high pressured life.
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Any plant that is 'invasive' (in the informal sense as per the topic of this post) is quite valuable to me and i'm fascinated in some species' Tryffid like ability to thrive in certain areas. There are many species mentioned above that i also have, namely Cape Figwort, Yellow Loosestrife, Hardy Geranium, teasel, verbascum, holyhock, verbena, digitalis, Soleirolia, hardy(ish) tradescantia and Creeping Jenny...and i'm always on the lookout for more. I like these plants because if i decide to neglect my garden for a little while then i know they'll be fine and i'm always pleased, curious and surprised to see them pop up in other places. These are my favourite plants so its hard for me to be disappointed when they move themselves about the plot.
I don't obsess over my garden in the traditional sense (i.e. neatness), but i do obsess over encouraging the chaotic proliferation of certain species and find joy in the simplicity of plant life, whatever form it takes. If something is somewhere that i don't want it then i just slowly and methodically take the time to dig it up and move it somewhere else. If some remains then i'm never particularly bothered.
I've spent my career creating formal gardens and retreating back to my chaotic little garden fiefdom is a great tonic to my organised and fairly high pressured life.