Docks are the big, oval leaved plants that grandma's often used to recommend to rub on nettle stings. They look lovely if they are growing wild, but they seed very freely and copiously. Even if it turns out to be an Astilbe, it would be a very good idea to pull all the seeds off because they still seem to be on the plant. You could keep them in a bag, and if they are Astilbe re-plant them. I think they are doc plants though. If so you will have your first big weeding job - they have quite tough and deep roots if they are older plants, and they are unlikely to be alone. They grow in similar places to nettles - hence they were the first juicy plants to be grabbed to rub on straight after a nettle sting. I think they actually help too.
On the very bright side, both plants flourish in deep, nutritious soil. Where nettles and doc grow, lots of other plants will too.
how exciting Shirley, we moved into our house 3 years ago and I;ve become totally obsessed by gardening, i still know very little and am always on here asking advice, i get gw mag every month and often other gardening mags that are weekly ( esp if they have free seeds i like) i also watch any gardening programme. I have 2 tiny helpers and it's so much fun to get them sowing seeds and looking after plants with ypou, definitely wit, see what grows, where the sun is at different times of day/year, start to notice local gardens and plants you like . I've kept quite a bit here and moved a lot too, i have very different taste apparently to the previous owner though and am still getting rid of things I don't like- rhododendron for the chop very shortly! I keep a lot of stuff in pots til I decide where I want it
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Previous-owner-was-my-husbands-gran-and-it-was-always-beautiful-she-was-always-at-the-garden-centre-and-planting-and-pottering-wish-i-asked-more-questions-now
Then definitely wait shirley
Peanuts-i-think-i-would-be-scared-to-dig-the-whole-area-i-would-prob-ruin-what-is-already-there.-can-i-like-rake-and-sieve-around-what-looks-like-a-plant-and-not-a-weed?
Astilbe? Is there a little clump of reddish leaves at the base?
No-hosta-no-clump-of-any-leaves?
might be another doc then.
doc?
Docks are the big, oval leaved plants that grandma's often used to recommend to rub on nettle stings. They look lovely if they are growing wild, but they seed very freely and copiously. Even if it turns out to be an Astilbe, it would be a very good idea to pull all the seeds off because they still seem to be on the plant. You could keep them in a bag, and if they are Astilbe re-plant them. I think they are doc plants though. If so you will have your first big weeding job - they have quite tough and deep roots if they are older plants, and they are unlikely to be alone. They grow in similar places to nettles - hence they were the first juicy plants to be grabbed to rub on straight after a nettle sting. I think they actually help too.
On the very bright side, both plants flourish in deep, nutritious soil. Where nettles and doc grow, lots of other plants will too.
how exciting Shirley, we moved into our house 3 years ago and I;ve become totally obsessed by gardening, i still know very little and am always on here asking advice, i get gw mag every month and often other gardening mags that are weekly ( esp if they have free seeds i like) i also watch any gardening programme. I have 2 tiny helpers and it's so much fun to get them sowing seeds and looking after plants with ypou, definitely wit, see what grows, where the sun is at different times of day/year, start to notice local gardens and plants you like . I've kept quite a bit here and moved a lot too, i have very different taste apparently to the previous owner though and am still getting rid of things I don't like- rhododendron for the chop very shortly! I keep a lot of stuff in pots til I decide where I want it