What is this bush/tree/plant?

[clicker]

no idea what this is, but it's popping up everywhere in all my nooks and crannies, flowering now and about 8 inches high...any ideas?

 

[rioted]

Herb Robert

 

[clicker]

Herb Robert

wow that was quick - thank you, just looked it up, what an interesting little flower. Glad it's got a long flowering season and when the leaves tinge red it's quite lovely.

 

[rioted]

wow that was quick - thank you, just looked it up, what an interesting little flower. Glad it's got a long flowering season and when the leaves tinge red it's quite lovely.

It's a bit of a stinker. But lovely.

 

[clicker]

It's a bit of a stinker. But lovely.

must admit i read that, but havent noticed - maybe because it's so low, or not warm enough yet....I've got wild geraniums all over the place and these herb Roberts tiny pink flowers really contrast with them - I think this is almost my favourite time of year in the garden, just as things are coming into bloom and doing their thing.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

no idea what this is, but it's popping up everywhere in all my nooks and crannies, flowering now and about 8 inches high...any ideas?

Already posted about on Minnie's Gardeners' Question Time

http://www.urban75.net/forums/threa...ime-help-for-the-new-gardeners.278384/page-16

 

[gentlegreen]

I encountered this on my travels over the weekend.
This one is moderately smelly - and I'm guessing it's in the mint family ...

 

[ringo]

These two small trees at the bottom of my garden grow as weeds don't they? i quite like them though, the one on the left with the purple flowers has that wizened, bent bonsai look which will go well with the Japanese plants I'm putting in. What are they?

 

[ringo]

I think this might bea variety of Lime, what do the Suburban experts think?

 

[gentlegreen]

We would need a closeup of leaves and flowers ...
Looks a bit "full-on" compared to the limes near me ...

 

[gentlegreen]

These two small trees at the bottom of my garden grow as weeds don't they? i quite like them though, the one on the left with the purple flowers has that wizened, bent bonsai look which will go well with the Japanese plants I'm putting in. What are they?

Buddleia Davidii

Except it isn't in flower for months yet - is that a lilac ?

Are you in the UK ?

 

[geminisnake]

Sorry photos too far away to tell. Azaleas might grow big down south(the purple one), you're Londonish iirc aye?

 

[ringo]

Buddleia Davidii

Except it isn't in flower for months yet - is that a lilac ?

Are you in the UK ?

I'm in south London. I'm sure I've seen both of these grow as weeds in the UK. Don't think it's an Azalea, flowers don't look right.

It was Buddleia I was thinking of, for the smaller with the purple flowers, but you're right, shouldn't be in flower yet.

I'll get out there with my tree identifying book now that I've found it.

 

[gentlegreen]

If it's in flower now it's a lilac - syringa - the pong should be a dead giveaway..
glossy instead of rough foliage and a tendency to sucker from the base.

although having said that, I haven't noticed any lilacs near me in bloom - funny old year this...

 

[gentlegreen]

The "lime" looks like it started out as a trained tree ..

 

[ringo]

If it's in flower now it's a lilac - syringa - the pong should be a dead giveaway..
glossy instead of rough foliage and a tendency to sucker from the base.

although having said that, I haven't noticed any lilacs near me in bloom - funny old year this...

I reckon you & geminisnake are right, it must be. Here's another on the web with similar gnarled old trunk, must be pretty old :

Nice one, that's one down

 

[gentlegreen]

You may have to actually go to the end of the garden - they won't bite !

 

[ringo]

The "lime" looks like it started out as a trained tree ..

Definitely. It had started to go a bit wild but I've given it a quite severe prune to get it back to shape. It functions well as a screen against the neighbours on that side, but it was starting to grow out into the garden and I didn't want it or its shade to dominate the new bed I've cut under it against the wall. You can also just make out the twisted hazel to its right that I've just planted.

You may have to actually go to the end of the garden - they won't bite !

I did have a proper look at the leaves the other week, but couldn't decide what it was. I did notice when I mowed the lawn at the weekend that it was about to flower. My work colleague has just pointed out to me that its clearly an Elderberry. The one near our uni is blindingly obvious as elderflower now as its just budding, I reckon I'll get home and realise the same, I just needed to wait another week for the flowers to turn up

 

[ringo]

Elderberry jam & wine win

 

[gentlegreen]

I doubt anyone would ever try to train an elderberry - even a black one. (sambucus nigra)
It's another short-lived tree that's often a weed.

 

[ringo]

I doubt anyone would ever try to train an elderberry - even a black one. (sambucus nigra)
It's another short-lived tree that's often a weed.

The tall one next to the Lilac is the Elderberry, pretty sure the trained tree is a Lime of some sort.

 

[geminisnake]

If it is an elderberry treat it with respect and never fall asleep under it. I would love an elderberry tree in the garden. It's the only one I want that I am missing and there really is nowhere for it to go

 

[ringo]

If it is an elderberry treat it with respect and never fall asleep under it. I would love an elderberry tree in the garden. It's the only one I want that I am missing and there really is nowhere for it to go

Just looked that up

"There is a bit of folklore from Europe that says never to fall asleep under an elderberry shrub when it is in bloom at midsummer or you’ll fall asleep for a hundred years and dream of Faerie land. This is not so much a myth as code for a lot of information about this plant. The flowers have soporific properties (they help you get to sleep), bloom at approximately midsummer (most years a little earlier here in BK), and are also reputed to be mildly narcotic (dreams of Faerie land?)."

http://nonabrooklyn.com/foraging-brooklyn-elderflower-champagne/#.UZzCZMqop8E

 

[gentlegreen]

Quite a lot of cyanide in various parts of the elder.
It used to be one of the smells of spring for me when I had an allotment - cutting it back.
When we were kids we used to make fishing floats from the pith.

 

[gentlegreen]

The tall one next to the Lilac is the Elderberry, pretty sure the trained tree is a Lime of some sort.

Oh yes - its de rigeur to have a pleached lime avenue at one's country pile.

 

[ringo]

Oh yes - its de rigeur to have a pleached lime avenue at one's country pile.

All part of the Brixton/West Norwood Village gentrification programme. It'll be artisan elderberry jam too.

 

[geminisnake]

Just looked that up

I know, which is why I warned you I'm glad you found the right info. I was going to offer to scan bits of my book if you didn't.
I like trees.

 

[gentlegreen]

I noticed a lilac in bloom on my way home last night :-

 

[ringo]

I noticed a lilac in bloom on my way home last night :-

I've seen loads since you two ID'd mine

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Weed?