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Gardening

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Original poster

New gardener - with inherited garden and questions..

14 replies

RollingInTheAisles · 15/07/2011 10:41

Hello, we've just moved into a house with a lovely garden and a lot of established plants. I'm determined to learn about gardening and my first priority is to take care of what we've got and keep it alive! The problem is I don't know what half the plants are and I'm struggling with how much I need to learn (coming from no knowledge at all!).

Anyway - I'm hoping someone might be able to help me identify one of the plants. I've put a pic on my profile but I'm struggling with my phone so apologies for the quality of it.

It's a tall plant which has loads of yellow flowers on it at the moment. It seems to have masses of new flowers opening all the time and lots dying all the time. I've been deadheading it but not sure if I should be, if I don't I'm ending up with a lawn full of yellow flowers. The second problem is, it's huge, and it's hanging over the path. Because I don't know what it is, and my lack of knowledge in general, I don't know if I can cut it back at this time of year?

If I'm really honest it's not my favourite plant but as I'm so new to this don't want to make any rash decisions and would rather try to identify it and take care of it for a while, but would like to cut it back if I can?

Sorry for rambling on. The scary thing is I've got lots more questions but this is long, so I'll leave it there!

OP posts:
WowOoo · 15/07/2011 10:45

I don't know. How exciting for you though.
Have you tried the BBC plant identifier? Am sure I have learnt names of some plants that came through in our garden that way.
Think the RHS may have this kind of thing on their website also.

I wouldn't cut it back until it's finished flowering myself. But, if you really dislike it you could do it now.

Dumbledoresgirl · 15/07/2011 10:46

No idea what the plant is, sorry, though it looks a bit like a hollyhock, except not if those greyish leaves belong to it.

I just wanted to say, my advice to you is to do very little, apart from maintenance, to the garden for a year as you never know what will come up in different seasons. So it is a good bit of general advice to leave a new -to-you, but established garden, for a year to see what surprises it brings.

Original poster
RollingInTheAisles · 15/07/2011 10:51

Thank you both, yes I've tried the BBC and RHS but we do go to RHS Wisley sometimes so thinking of taking a picture of it up there and asking them in person!

I am trying to not do too much (mostly in case I do the wrong thing) but I have been deadheading the roses and did have a go at cutting the whippy bits off a few wisterias, hoping I haven't upset them with that. I also cut back some lavender that was going mad. I don't think I'm supposed to do that yet but it was way over the path so was sort of necessary. I've also noticed quite a few of the roses have got the blackspot things on their leaves but not sure what to do about that yet!

OP posts:
crazynanna · 15/07/2011 10:59

Dumbledoresgirl Good job I did exactly what you suggested,and I waited.
I am a virgin gardener with a new garden,and when I moved here in February,I was going to chop down a suspicious looking dried up looking plant that looked like a dying bamboo cane...but I got lazy and left it.

What a surprise I have had now seeing a glorious majestic full rose bush with lovely pink roses! Smile

Wonder what else is out there? Wink

WowOoo · 15/07/2011 13:22

We took an unidentified plant to a local specialist garden centre. I cut a stem with some leaves and they not only named it but showed me closely realted plants.

Original poster
RollingInTheAisles · 15/07/2011 15:17

Oh that's a good idea WowOooo, that would be nearer than Wisley too. I might try that. Dumbledoresgirl I should add that the picture is distorting the colour of the leaves, they're really a mid green rather than grey. I've looked at Hollyhocks and they look prettier than this to be honest, this doesn't seem to have such tight close together flowers, they're more spread out.

OP posts:
1973magpie · 15/07/2011 22:41

Asked my Mum and she said it could be an Evening Primrose, but if the leaves are greyish then they look like they've got mildew? If the leaves are green it might be worth a look. HTH

Original poster
RollingInTheAisles · 15/07/2011 23:14

Ooh Magpie, after a quick google I think you might be right! It says the flowers bloom at night and die within 24 hours which explains why I'm constantly wondering if I should be deadheading! Thank you!

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Original poster
RollingInTheAisles · 15/07/2011 23:14

Leaves are green by the way, sort of that sagey colour which I think is why it showed up more grey on camera.

OP posts:
Hassled · 15/07/2011 23:15

Definately an Evening Primrose. I love them.

1973magpie · 16/07/2011 20:29

Woohoo - Go the Gardening Oracle (as we call Mum!) Glad you found it, it's so frustrating when you can't find it Smile

chixinthestix · 18/07/2011 00:29

Rolling you might want to bear in mind that it will set seed all over the place so if you're not that keen deadheading is probably a good idea. It thrives in disturbed ground so they may well spring up if you do any digging. For some reason they crop up in our veg patch every year and it is at least 9 years since one flowered in our garden!

Dazmum · 21/07/2011 17:38

Ooh, I have just looked at your photo and thought it was an evening primrose too, before I read 1973magpie's post! Too late again!

Original poster
RollingInTheAisles · 21/07/2011 19:42

Thank you everyone, extra confirmation helps:)

Chix, thanks for the advice, it's big and taking over a bit so I'm not surprised to hear that!

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