They not only seed like the clappers, but spread their roots out too. I find the roots can penetrate really deep and be total swines to remove, with the result that deep rooted suckers can pop up where you least want them and be a real pain to keep under control. I tend to dig them up and split them annually, planting them where I feel they’ll show best next year, like siting lighter colours against a dark fence etc (they can be quite useful in shady areas too!). It also helps to maintain the strength of colour as well as making them easier to manage (along with weekly deadheading BEFORE the seed pods dry and open).

Co, when you take photos, it really helps if you can take a shot of the whole plant so as to show both flowers and leaves in context – as well as the close ups of the flower (and leaf if poss). Being able to see the shape of the plant, the colour and shape of the foliage as well as the number of floral heads (single stems, clusters etc) goes a long way to helping identification.

*Boudicca – Gets REALLY stroppy after a pint!*

They not only seed like the clappers, but spread their roots out too. I find the roots can penetrate really deep and be total swines to remove, with the result that deep rooted suckers can pop up where you least want them and be a real pain to keep under control. I tend to dig them up and split them annually, planting them where I feel they’ll show best next year, like siting lighter colours against a dark fence etc (they can be quite useful in shady areas too!). It also helps to maintain the strength of colour as well as making them easier to manage (along with weekly deadheading BEFORE the seed pods dry and open).

Co, when you take photos, it really helps if you can take a shot of the whole plant so as to show both flowers and leaves in context – as well as the close ups of the flower (and leaf if poss). Being able to see the shape of the plant, the colour and shape of the foliage as well as the number of floral heads (single stems, clusters etc) goes a long way to helping identification.

*Boudicca – Gets REALLY stroppy after a pint!*

They not only seed like the clappers, but spread their roots out too. I find the roots can penetrate really deep and be total swines to remove, with the result that deep rooted suckers can pop up where you least want them and be a real pain to keep under control. I tend to dig them up and split them annually, planting them where I feel they’ll show best next year, like siting lighter colours against a dark fence etc (they can be quite useful in shady areas too!). It also helps to maintain the strength of colour as well as making them easier to manage (along with weekly deadheading BEFORE the seed pods dry and open).

Co, when you take photos, it really helps if you can take a shot of the whole plant so as to show both flowers and leaves in context – as well as the close ups of the flower (and leaf if poss). Being able to see the shape of the plant, the colour and shape of the foliage as well as the number of floral heads (single stems, clusters etc) goes a long way to helping identification.

*Boudicca – Gets REALLY stroppy after a pint!*

I’m glad I left this half-written and walked away for a few mins while Fish replied. It’s come to a pretty pass, however, when we are reduced to gardening threads!!! Mind you, how about a pic of the whole plant?_________________

I’m glad I left this half-written and walked away for a few mins while Fish replied. It’s come to a pretty pass, however, when we are reduced to gardening threads!!! Mind you, how about a pic of the whole plant?_________________

I’m glad I left this half-written and walked away for a few mins while Fish replied. It’s come to a pretty pass, however, when we are reduced to gardening threads!!! Mind you, how about a pic of the whole plant?_________________

Lyn, you beat me to it on the nerines with a few weeks off the forum. Anywa I had a nice surprise early in this October; I have a few hyacinths in various pots which are quite good at poping up each year otherwise being neglected, hovever, I also had 3 nerines in another pot which I rather lost track of and I don’t recall seeing at all last year thinking they were lost. But with the garden getting a bit dreary they showed their faces really well with even a fourth spike as a bonus. [yes, that is late spring campagnula flowers you can see in mid-October ~ there are still a few bells even now.]

Lyn, you beat me to it on the nerines with a few weeks off the forum. Anywa I had a nice surprise early in this October; I have a few hyacinths in various pots which are quite good at poping up each year otherwise being neglected, hovever, I also had 3 nerines in another pot which I rather lost track of and I don’t recall seeing at all last year thinking they were lost. But with the garden getting a bit dreary they showed their faces really well with even a fourth spike as a bonus. [yes, that is late spring campagnula flowers you can see in mid-October ~ there are still a few bells even now.]

Lyn, you beat me to it on the nerines with a few weeks off the forum. Anywa I had a nice surprise early in this October; I have a few hyacinths in various pots which are quite good at poping up each year otherwise being neglected, hovever, I also had 3 nerines in another pot which I rather lost track of and I don’t recall seeing at all last year thinking they were lost. But with the garden getting a bit dreary they showed their faces really well with even a fourth spike as a bonus. [yes, that is late spring campagnula flowers you can see in mid-October ~ there are still a few bells even now.]

Duro, have you dug up beneath the bluebells? Blow the seeds, just look at the number of little white corms – they grow like mini spuds. Once they’ve finished dying back, dig them up and only return a few of the corms and dispose of the rest via the most convenient or profitable means. As regards the mint, the soil is probably spent, try digging in some compost. Does it have enough sunlight? It’ll tolerate some shade, but doesn’t like full shade. Mint also like a reasonable degree of watering. Jenni, I was going to plant some foxgloves, but you’re putting me off! I have an outrage of Canterbury Bells – I adore them, but I’ve got something of a surplus of both white and blue – I need to move some around, particularly where I have a full mass of white ones against a cream coloured wall. They don’t show off too well, so need to dig a few out and introduce some of the blue ones, but still have masses of both to lose! My Canna flower spike has just started to open over the last couple of days and, today, I notice a second plant is producing a flower spike as well. At this time of year I could do with an Indian Summer to give them a chance!_________________

*Boudicca – Gets REALLY stroppy after a pint!*