I like Fennel as well hyppybyker but it seems that every seed that makes it to the ground germinates, i cant cut them down before the seeds set as they are nice in the winter plus as homes for ladybirds etc. So I end up with a little aniseedy forest, I find that they tend to lose their graceful semi see through-ness after a few years so pull them out and leave a seedling to take its place.
That's what I'm planning to do - I've got a lovely big stand on a place that will be 're-assigned' next year so I've left a few seedlings to grow elsewhere to take it's place.
As you say such a beauty in the frost and even now with rain hanging on every frond. And i'm sure I've got far more ladybirds this year because of it - there were masses in there
I know that Himalayan honeysuckle does seed itself all over the place, but it is worth it just to see the blackbirds repeatedly launching/ jumping off the ground and trying to grab a berry before they crash land.Also, as someone else said, the seedlings are easy to remove from where you don't want them.
Hello everyone and Blairs, Tony and Cherie. Well they could be. Just kidding. What a response. I,ve grown them all and what,s worse I nicked a piece of Geranium C. Druce ( no police amongst us i hope, I plead insanity) and it,s still rampaging through borders, paths,neighbours. Crime really doesn,t pay. Oh, and unusually it,s raining here in Cambridgeshire. Snails night out again xx
I used to have opium poppies - Papaver somniferum in one of my beds. I liked them so much I sprinkled the seeds liberally around. They were very pretty for a while but they make a terrible mess when they go over. I probably wouldn't deliberately sow them again but if I had a piece of bare ground that I was desperate to cover quickly, they could be the answer.
Wild strawberries! I had visions of being able to edge a flowerbed with them, ha. After one summer I ripped them all up and have now confined them to a few pots where I have underplanted bigger things. They remove the need for weeding and the strawberries may only be the size of a pea but they taste fabulous, so I have now become quite fond of them. But they still send their runners hopefully over the edge of the pot.
years ago an old gentleman gave me a pot of alstroemerias because i had admired them in his garden, i split the little tuber things into two lots and planted them in the garden and although they haven't spread i cant get rid of them, every year i dig them up but every year they come back again, they flop all over the place and are a perfect hiding place for snails will pulling them out of the ground as they appear weaken them
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I love fennel so much I'll put up with the seedlings
I like Fennel as well hyppybyker but it seems that every seed that makes it to the ground germinates, i cant cut them down before the seeds set as they are nice in the winter plus as homes for ladybirds etc. So I end up with a little aniseedy forest, I find that they tend to lose their graceful semi see through-ness after a few years so pull them out and leave a seedling to take its place.
That's what I'm planning to do - I've got a lovely big stand on a place that will be 're-assigned' next year so I've left a few seedlings to grow elsewhere to take it's place.
As you say such a beauty in the frost and even now with rain hanging on every frond. And i'm sure I've got far more ladybirds this year because of it - there were masses in there
Purple ajuga is my thug runs rampant through, over and around every thing, been pulling barrow loads of it out.
also very tall white daises nightmare to dig out once you have them
I know that Himalayan honeysuckle does seed itself all over the place, but it is worth it just to see the blackbirds repeatedly launching/ jumping off the ground and trying to grab a berry before they crash land.Also, as someone else said, the seedlings are easy to remove from where you don't want them.
Hello everyone and Blairs, Tony and Cherie. Well they could be. Just kidding. What a response. I,ve grown them all and what,s worse I nicked a piece of Geranium C. Druce ( no police amongst us i hope, I plead insanity) and it,s still rampaging through borders, paths,neighbours. Crime really doesn,t pay. Oh, and unusually it,s raining here in Cambridgeshire. Snails night out again xx
I'll be out with the torch tonight in the rain - need to find the beggars who have ruined 3 dahlias grrr
What an exciting Friday night! Maybe a visit to the pub beforehand is in order.....
I used to have opium poppies - Papaver somniferum in one of my beds. I liked them so much I sprinkled the seeds liberally around. They were very pretty for a while but they make a terrible mess when they go over. I probably wouldn't deliberately sow them again but if I had a piece of bare ground that I was desperate to cover quickly, they could be the answer.
Emma
gardenersworld.com team
Wild strawberries! I had visions of being able to edge a flowerbed with them, ha. After one summer I ripped them all up and have now confined them to a few pots where I have underplanted bigger things. They remove the need for weeding and the strawberries may only be the size of a pea but they taste fabulous, so I have now become quite fond of them. But they still send their runners hopefully over the edge of the pot.
years ago an old gentleman gave me a pot of alstroemerias because i had admired them in his garden, i split the little tuber things into two lots and planted them in the garden and although they haven't spread i cant get rid of them, every year i dig them up but every year they come back again, they flop all over the place and are a perfect hiding place for snails will pulling them out of the ground as they appear weaken them
untill they give up