Introduction and weed identification
Joe McGain
Posts: 4
Hello,
Last year I moved into a house share in Cambridge, UK for work and the back garden is a mess. The lawn is very overgrown and mossy, there are weeds everywhere and very intimidating brambles and other prickly bushes.
As I have now started a new job and can afford to spend it on the house, I have taken it upon myself to see to the garden as I would like to turn it into a place for barbecues and sitting out with friends during the summer. It also gives me a very good excuse to get outside over the weekends. Unfortunately, my work as an IT Technician isn't precisely the most outdoorsy profession and I've been looking for a reason to get out and catch some desperately needed Vitamin D. As it stands, I am handy with the tools but my knowledge of gardening is very basic so I was hoping I could call on the Gardeners' world forums for occaisional assistance.
I took about three hours on Saturday to start on one of the flower beds. It had a large number of sporadically spread tall, brown, wheat like plants, which I took to be overgrown weeds. I spoke to family and friends who assured me they were but I'd like to get a second opinion/name from the best!
Here is one of the flower bed itself. You can plainly see the plants in question here:
I could tell they were dead by touching them. Their stems were brittle and white inside.
I got a close up shot of one of the heads if it could be any help:
I have already cleared out this bed and dug out the roots but there are other, much thicker patches of this particular plant and I don't want to dig them up without finding out their name and if they are worth keeping or getting rid of, so any help would be greatly appreciated. As I say, it could have been a flower for all I know!
Also, in the back of these photos you can see a bush with very few leaves, just some berries with the most vicious looking prickles I've ever seen. I know they aren't very detailed but if anyone knows the name of it by cursory glance I would be very interested to know because I have some unsightly scratches from it today and would like to look into getting rid of that too.
So this is me! More updates to come 
if anyone has any advice on the things I mention here I would love to hear them!
Very glad to meet you all,
Joe
Posts
The prickly things are briars, wild/dog roses.
The one you've done a close-up of may be golden rod, pretty but pretty invasive as well.
The one with the spear leaves and red berries is Iris foetidissima, a native iris
I can see a bit of bramble in with the rose, some green alkanet, (Pentaglottis sempervirens) and what could be dock and a hollyhock seed head.
and welcome to the forum Joe
In the sticks near Peterborough
Could also be an Aster. Mine have seed heads like that.
Hello!
Golenrod is right! I'm feeling very proud of myself as I was right in thinking they were dead haha. Shame, looking at living Goldenrod on google it's quite pretty.
The Iris is lovely, I'd like to keep that if possible.
I think the Landlord has planted a number of those brambles and rose bushes as defence but they look just a bit out of place now. I have cut the rose back quite aggressively so hopefully I haven't inadvertently killed it. I'll be getting rid of the brambles probably.
I'm not sure what to put in that bed right now. I'd like to encourage some more wildlife back to the garden so I've been lightly breaking the soil up to try and encourage some natural growth while I decide what goes where.
Thank you for the quick response!
Hello Jo
Good information from Nutcutlet (as usual)
The brambles and rose bushes are probably the result of birds having deposited the seeds in their droppings - they germinate and take root very easily
The clumps of large-ish leaves - are they slightly furry, or are they slightly bristly?
If they're slightly furry they may well be foxgloves, which will flower in the coming summer and they'll look lovely and be good for bees.
However, if they're slightly bristly they could be one of the borage family, possibly Green Alkanet which, although an interesting plant, can spread like made and be a bit of thug.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Ah, I've just noticed - Nut thinks it's Green Alkanet - she's probably right - she usually is
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Hi Joe, I like to leave as much as possible in situ the first year, only removing it once I am sure I know what it is. What looks dead right now may simply be last year's seed heads and come the spring new growth will miraculously appear. Neighbours may be able to identify some plants for you and tell you of any prize ones they have noticed in previous years. (It is also a good excuse to introduce yourself) I would concentrate on identifying the nasties such as brambles and try to remove them where they are not wanted. Good luck.
Hi Esspee,
Unfortunately, I don't think the neighbours will be much use as I'm in a corner of Cambridge which sees a lot of renters and seasonal residents. In my house alone in the last year we've seen two or three different people come and go and I've seen the same of the next door neighbours as well. Actually, people seem to be quite surprised that I'm doing the garden out of my own pocket when I'm just renting. I guess I'm just becoming a bit more houseproud
Joe, maybe when the neighbours see what a difference you can make and how having a useable garden to enjoy with your friends can really improve your quality of life, they'll get the gardening bug too
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Joe, the golden rod will not be dead, believe me. There are people who've been trying to kill it for years
In the sticks near Peterborough