Wild Flower or Weed? Please help with ID

[Judashascomeintosomemoney]

Well, I suppose they’re all wild flowers or weeds depending on your point of view! I’ve got lots of stuff growing in amongst the mini orchard and I’ve dug out the ‘offenders’ (mostly ivy tbh) and left some sticky weed for the dogs (greyhound loves to eat it, apparently it’s safe to do so🙂) but some of them look so beautiful, I’ve decided to leave them. Does anyone know what they are though, and if they are going to be beneficial (I’ve alreay seen bees on them so hoping it’s a yes) or not? One looks like a grass, but again, looks so lovely I want to leave it if it’s not going to be to the detriment of anything else. And finally, do you think the bluebells are English or Spanish? I only ask because we’re very near some iconic bluebell woods and, if hybrid or Spanish, I’m not sure whether I should get rid or not to avoid spreading them.

Bluebells

I think the middle one of the series of three pictures is green Alla et, viewed as a weed by many.

About the bluebells, not sure but here is a list of differences:

• On the Spanish flower, the bells are all around the stem, not just on one side which gives the English bluebell its drooping stature.
• The stamen is blue on the Spanish version, and yellow on the English one.
• The English bluebell is a deeper blue than the Spanish one, which is a delicate shade of pale blue.
• The English bluebell is stronger scented.
• The Spanish bluebell can tolerate sunshine and happily grows in open spaces, whereas the English bluebell prefers at least partial shade and is never found growing in open spaces.
• Spanish bluebell flowers lift their heads towards the sun. English bluebells never do.

Photo and text from:

dengarden.com/gardening/The-Difference-Between-Spanish-and-English-Bluebells

Green alkanet

The first one looks like Sorrel. Pink wood sorrel?

Ah thanks, yes, green alkanet a type of forget-me-not, night that’s ok to keep them as although it may spread, space isn’t an issue here. I’m still not sure about the bluebells (they’ve died off now, pics taken a few weeks ago) but I’m erring towards English.

Yes, pink wood sorrel looks right, thank you!

The second one I know as Speedwell, no idea it's proper name.

The first looks like red campion.

Pink is an oxalis, blue speedwell and no idea about the grass.

The bluebells look more English but I'd have to see them really.

Definitely English Bluebells.

The blue & white flowers are speedwell - green alkanet has hairy green leaves, but looks similar flower-wise.
They're English bluebells - much nicer than the Spanish ones!

Pink oxalis (wood sorrel is also oxalis); germander speedwell; native (ie English) bluebell.

Green alkanet is much larger than germander speedwell, and its blue flowers have 5 petals, not 4. (The difference between 5 petals and 4 petals is quite a fundamental one in plants).

The germander speedwell is a native, so likely to be good for wildlife in general, though I don't see many bees on it. But it's a pretty thing. The pink oxalis is non-native, though on the plus side it's got single flowers not double. You might find it a bit invasive but people do pay good money for it.

I'd pay good money for pink oxalis like that one but I've never seen it on sale (only larger but less robust cultivars). My family's garden had a couple of patches on the edge of a border spilling over onto a path, they were lovely.