how does my garden grow?

Ok, all you greenfingered folk out there! Can you help me identify what it is I have growing in my garden?

As well as the above photo (no.1) there are 6 more. Number 2 looks like chunky wheat - I hope it's not as there's loads of it. If you can tell me 1-7 what they are, I'll send a wee thankyou out to the person who can do just that!

...speaking of green fingers, I rather hoped Jane at Snapdragon might be reading this as you will know what all of these are! Just as I typed into my typepad account I decided to see who was typepadder of the day, which I haven't done for ages - to discover it's Jane! So well done Jane - enjoy the limelight!!xx

Comments

[Vanessa]

Hi there - looks like no.1 london pride & the rest L-R from the top...
(you hum it & I'll play it)
2 ? solomon's seal - not a good pic tho' - you'll know it is if the leaves all disappear overnight - the s.s. sawfly will have done it's thing
3 Lupin
4 Sedum
5 Looks like a variegated lemon balm - does it smell of lemon - if it does, it makes a really good substitute for lemons in tea or cakes
6 a hardy geranium of some variety
7 - not sure from that pic, but it could be the old fashioned cottage garden cornflower (not the field one) - related to knapweed & similar shape if you look closely when it's in flower (blue)

My brain isn't working well enough at this time of the day for latin - you should be able to identify them from the common names though, with a good id book - RHS encylopedia should have all the info - need to wait until they've deveoloped a bit more for detail about variety

Hope that helps, Vanessa

Jane's blog is good, isn't it!

[Vanessa]

Hi there - looks like no.1 london pride & the rest L-R from the top...
(you hum it & I'll play it)
2 ? solomon's seal - not a good pic tho' - you'll know it is if the leaves all disappear overnight - the s.s. sawfly will have done it's thing
3 Lupin
4 Sedum
5 Looks like a variegated lemon balm - does it smell of lemon - if it does, it makes a really good substitute for lemons in tea or cakes
6 a hardy geranium of some variety
7 - not sure from that pic, but it could be the old fashioned cottage garden cornflower (not the field one) - related to knapweed & similar shape if you look closely when it's in flower (blue)

My brain isn't working well enough at this time of the day for latin - you should be able to identify them from the common names though, with a good id book - RHS encylopedia should have all the info - need to wait until they've deveoloped a bit more for detail about variety

Hope that helps, Vanessa

Jane's blog is good, isn't it!

[French Knots]

I agree with Vanessa London Pride, Solomons Seal has little hanging bracts/flowers( I used to have some but it has vanished!),lupin( slugs favourite), sedum, lemon balm, hardy geranium and the cornflower looks very like one I have. You should have a good selection of flowers over the season.

[carolyn]

1. London Pride
2. ....
3.Lupin
4.Sedum probably Autumn Joy, butterflies loveit.
5.Lemon Balm - crush the leaves and sniff to cofirm, used to be used as a strewing herb in the middle ages and I believe you can seep it to make a tea, but you'd have to check I wouldn't want to be responsible for poisoning someone.
6. Geranium, if you are lucky it will be Johnson Blue one of my favs.
7.Cornflower
All delightful and easy plants, you can devide them in the autumn to make more.

[snapdragon]

All spot on - the sawfly appear on the solomon's seal in June - but they don't damage the plant at all longterm. The perennial cornflower will reflower if you chop down all the stems once it has finished. You might also get a rebloom from the lupin if you deadhead.
They are all plants that are cast iron - they are not easily killed,
J
x

[Diana]

I think by now you know how your garden grows!! You're going to have fun seeing how it develops over the coming months. How much space do you have, and what plans do you have? Do share...! Diana x