One man's weed is another man's wildflower

[AndyC]

My first garden back in 1974 was so tiny that I rented a local allotment. The old boy on the next plot swore by all sorts of folklore with regards to gardening methods, one of these was to grow a few Caper Spurge (Euphorbia lathyris) to keep the moles away so I planted one on each of the corners of my allotment. I have to say that it did the trick but then it also kept lots of other animals away, e.g. elephants.

It is not an unattractive plant in my opinion so I have always allowed a few plants to occupy spaces in my garden ever since even though it failed miserably as a means of keep moles away from my last garden. I love it when the seed capsules ripen and you hear a 'pop' as they ping their seeds around the garden. They are very easy to pull up where they are not wanted.

I didn't have any seeds to bring with me when we moved to Cornwall so I've bought some and germinated them ready to plant out in our new garden (men in white coats coming for me any day now).

Do you have a favourite 'weed'?

[charlie]

there are a number here, some just "Arrived" others we did originally introduce sometimes we both like them as in Erigeron karvinskianus and Stylophorium lasiocarpum, others like Welsh Poppies Liz likes but I dont while I am a fan of Geranium pratense - the meadow cranesbill, but liz tries to pull them up when she thinks I wont notice. We both love all the native ferns but they have to kept an eye on as they can quickly kill other plants

[AndyC]

My 'weeds' are now 'garden ready'

[flounder]

Just reminded me, I need to get out and hoe the 'wild' flowers!

[AndyC]

Some new 'exotic' weeds in my garden this year, Ricinus communis and Cobaea scandens. What next, bananas?

[flounder]

Some new 'exotic' weeds in my garden this year, Ricinus communis and Cobaea scandens. What next, bananas?

Go bananas Andy, the rate of growth is better than most weeds!(when established)
I've found some ricinus seeds I must have acquired some 4 years ago in Malta. They've been in a fortnight and one has just broken the surface. I wish I'd found them earlier

[AndyC]

I've found some ricinus seeds I must have acquired some 4 years ago in Malta. They've been in a fortnight and one has just broken the surface. I wish I'd found them earlier

Did you acquire the seeds from 'the wild'?. I've seen Ricinus growing on waste ground in Lanzarote and on the margins of the beach near Los Angeles and they are very stunted looking plants. I don't know whether the varieties we buy as seed here grow huge because of the treatment we give them or because they are genetically different from the ones we see growing in the wild in warmer climes?

[flounder]

My ricinus came from a bit of waste ground. Took me four trips to the chinese takeaway in Bugibba to find some seeds though!

[charlie]

Certainly grew magnificent here from the rather poor specimens on madeira that I liberated seed from! and self seeded for a couple of years before dying out