Welcome to my gardening blog

flowerpot for a pillow

I hope I can share a little of what I've learned - and there is so much more to learn. Let's learn to love dandelions! and all those wildflowers that are so helpful for bees.dandelion

If you want to share anything, please post at https://www.facebook.com/gardenwithoutdoors/.

Victor using a flowerpot for a pillow

 

October 2024

28-10-2024

winter jasmine in flower

winter jasmine

self-seeded foxgloves

this one took over my agapanthus pot and a water figwort joined it

foxglove water figwort

this foxglove self-seeded in the pot with the poppy and is joined by lots of other plants: verbena bonariensis, foget-me-nots and more

foxglove verbena bonariensis

houndstongue seedlings

I threw every houndstongue seed I found - and I found a lot - every time I came in from the garden I seemed to have some stuck to my clothes - into these pots. They seemed to take a while to do something and next thing I knew I had a pot full of seedlings - as many as I need, assuming they all grow into reasonable plants. Also primula seedlings amongst them.

houndstongue seedlings

houndstongue on the left, primulas on the right

houndstongue seedlings

Geranium molle and robertium seedlings

geranium molle

26-10-2024

Sometimes we should just slow down and let plants grow, self-seed, get established and observe. I had huge cardoons in my last garden, which I loved. I had one seedling in a pot I brought with me but it died so I recently bought a cardoon. Before it was even delivered I see this cardoon seedling which grew from another pot I planted in the ground. I'm pleased to have a seedling from my original plants.
 
cardoon or artichoke seedling
 
I finally planted out my teasel seedlings which I had potted up from tiny seedlings I found in various pots
 
teasel seedlings
 
in reviewing my photos I see I have a number of teasels, to the right of the evening primrose (bristly oxtongue in the front)
 
 
in that pot next to the green alkanet and hogweed,  I guess didn't really need more teasels but they'll be nice to have.
 
 
smooth hawk's-beard (Crepis capillaris)
 
smooth hawk's-beard Crepis capillaris
 
before I even watered this pot, I noticed the fungi, I've never had so much fungi in pots, maybe it was in the compost I bought (I haven't had to buy compost in a long time since I had my own in my last garden but had to leave that behind)
 
fungi

 

18-10-2024

my visiting white cat, loving the catnip plants

Livingstone daisies, still going strong - if the sun comes out - they only open in the sun and it's rained so much recently haven't seen them every day

I bought 4 huge perennials from Plants Direct (in Roundbush near Aldenham), Lamium maculatum Roseum

Tradescantia virginiana

Stachys byzantina

Primula denticulata

Of these 4 plants 2 have the Perfect for Pollinators seal (Lamium Roseum and Stachys Lanata (synonym of byzantina)) but in researching online, both Tradescatia and Primula denticulata are mentioned as being good for pollinators so I will observe in the spring / summer if pollinators visit.

16-10-2024

another green alkanet I have which is still getting established - it didn't bloom yet, common hogweed above it, teasel to the left in the pot

green alkanet common hogweed

finally planted some more bulbs, Urginea maritima, as recommended half the bulb above the soil and I added pebbles / grit for more drainage, I've not grown these before so not sure best methods but I'll see how they do in pots, I understand they don't like the wet so hoping the pots give a drier environment

urginea maritima planted

ranunculus, which I love but have not figured out best methods, I put a layer of grit and put the (soaked) corms on top of the grit and covered with compost, I understand they need protection so if it gets very cold I can put the pots in a more protected place

ranunculus planted

I also planted 3 pots of daffodils

3 pot of crocus

Little Princess tulips (in only a few days they're been covered with the beginnings of spider webs

 

I planted the trough up with Sainsburys daffodils and topped with pansies from Plants Direct

pansies

30 daffodil bulbs for £3 is a bargain I couldn't resist

Sainsburys daffodils

pansies

before I could plant up the trough I had to remove the self-seeders I wanted to save, water figwort and primulas

those primula seedlings potted up

primula seedlings

the water figwort seedling potted up

water figwort seedling

11-10-2024  The speckled petunias are still going strong, amazing and I even saw a bee on one the other day.

speckled petunias

I love green alkanet. I had one or two green alkanet blooming in a pot this year unlike my last garden where I had lots. The 2nd photo shows a large green alkanet I planted out as a seedling which I brought with me. I hope for flowers in the spring.

green alkanet

These are plants I have in my patio cracks (green alkanet, spear thistle, moth mullein). It's always difficult to decide if I should transplant them in hope of flowers or leave them to sort it out. I tried removing a verbena bonariensis thinking they were tough and would survive but it died. I had a moth mullein (Verbascum blattaria) bloom on the patio quite happily this year. I am sure I cannot move the green alkanet and spear thistle now so will leave them and see how they do.

green alkanet

spear thistle

verbascum blattaria rosette

4-10-2024

I love what's growing in this tray!

So many of my pots have self-seeders, it's time to repot some of them. This pot started with baptsia seedlings which don't seem to be doing well, one has died. If I want the remaining two baptisia seedlings to survive, thought I should remove the self-seedeers, esp top centre verbascum blattaria, below that fox-and-cubs and a few small primulas.

verbascum fox-and-cubs seedlings

the seedlings repotted, clockwise from left, primulas, fox-and-cubs, verbascum, unknown

primula seedlings from other pots

primula seedlings

the baptisia seedlings with lots of room now and no competition - for now, I read that baptisia dies back in winter but starts growing again in spring but not sure if the seedlings will revive but on their on in that pot will make it possible, now I just need to label

baptisia seedlings

this pot is the next to tackle

and this pot of aquilegia seedlings looks like it has some primula seedlings as well

aquilegia seedlings

one of the great things about my new garden are all the hardy geraniums,

hardy geranium

hardy geranium

verbascum Arctic Summer well-established with enormous leaves

verbascum Arctic Summer

the navelwort is surviving despite being a bit crowded out by the fox-and-cubs spreading

navelwort fox-and-cubs

a green alkanet seedling I brought with me and planted in the ground, getting established, hope it flowers early next spring

green alkanet

Taraxacum vs Crepis Sept 2024

There was a lawn when I moved here last Dec 2023. I hadn't had a lawn for 30 years and wasn't about to again so started planting into it and letting it grow. Amongst the grass were lots of self-seeders even though it appeared to be quite a manicured lawn. I got bristly oxtongue, hawkweed oxtongue, ragwort, selfheal, speedwell, prickly sow thistle, willowherbs, smooth hawk's-beard, dandelions (Taraxacum) and what appeared to be beaked hawk's-beard (Crepis vesicaria) although it did not bloom this spring / summer. The beaked hawk's-beard I have seen are annuals (I think) so that confused me. When I am confused I observe, organise, document and photograph (and blog). I numbered each Taraxacum vs Cepis plant I have in my garden and photographed them. I had a stab at identifying them but I don't think some of my IDs were correct - I thought dandelions were hairless and Crepis hairy but I don't think that is correct. Will try to take photos of them monthly to see how the're changing. I am going to try to be patient and await developments and flowers in the spring.

1.   1-8-2024

closer view of the centre

crepis vesicaria possibly

4-8-2024

1 is on the right, 6-8-2024 (2 is on the left)

dandelion or crepis

14-8-2024

dandelion or crepis

18-8-2024

8-9-2024 this has changed a lot over the past month or so, looks quite tatty, from being walked on? I think this is a dandelion

10-9-2024 left to right, 2, 1, 23

crepis vesicaria possibly

12-10-2024 this went from being a magnificent rosette to pretty much destroyed, not sure why

2.   3-8-2024

2-9-2024

8-9-2024 50 cm across, doing well, unlike the one above next to it

closer views showing the hairs

14-8-2024

dandelion or crepis

30-9-2024

crepis vesicarai

centre

crepis vesicaria

12-10-2024

dandelion or crepis

centre close-up, hairy

dandelion or crepis centre detail

3.  dandelion  23-8-2024

dandelion

2-9-2024

dandelion

8-9-2024 dandelion

dandelion

12-10-2024 month later, enormous

dandelion

4.  19-8-2024 looking Crepis-like at this point

 crepis vesicaria

28-8-2024

crepis vesicaria

2-9-2024

crepis vesicaria

8-9-2024  Crepis vesicaria ?, 60 cm across

closer view of the centre

21-9-2024

crepis vesicaria

24-9-2024

crepis vesicaria

30-9-2024

crepis vesicaria

centre

crepis vesicaria centre

12-10-2024 this is enormous, centre leaves looking crepis?

crepis vesicaria

centre close-up

crepis vesicaria centre

5.  14-8-2024

dandelion

8-9-2024  dandelion

12-10-2024 dandelion below another plant above

dandelion

6.  14-8-2024

dandelion or crepis

21-8-2024

dandelion or crepis

2-9-2024

8-9-2024  Crepis vesicaria?

7-10-2024

12-10-2024

dandelion or crepis

7.  14-8-2024

dandelion or crepis

18-8-2024

crepis or dandelion

21-8-2024

dandelion or crepis

2-9-2024

8-9-2024  60 cm across

5-10-2024

7-10-2024

dandelion or crepis vesicaria

centre closer view 5-10-2024

dandelion

12-10-2024

dandelion or crepis

centre close-up

dandelion or crepis

8.  1-8-2024

dandelion

19-8-2024

dandelion

8-9-2024  dandelion

12-10-2024

dandelion

9.  21-8-2024 at this point looking Crepis vesicaria-like

dandelion or crepis

25-8-2024

2-9-2024

8-9-2024 just over 50 cm across

21-9-2024

crepis or dandelion

24-9-2024

crepis vesicaria

12-10-2024

dandelion or crepis

10.  23-8-2024

dandelion

2-9-2024

dandelion

8-9-2024  dandelion 60 cm across

dandelion

12-10-2024

dandelion

11. and 13.  12-10-2024

dandelion

12.  dandelion 23-8-2024

dandelion

2-9-2024

dandelion

8-9-2024

9-10-2024

dandelion

12-10-2024 there are now a few dandelions there

dandelions

13.  dandelion

dandelion

14.  2-9-2024

8-9-2024  Crepis vesicaria

24-9-2024

crepis vesicaria

12-10-2024

crepis vesicaria

15.   6-8-2024

crepis vesicaria

23-8-2024

2-9-2024

8-9-2024  Crepis vesicaria

30-9-2024

crepis vesicaria

centre

crepis vesicaria centre

12-10-2024

crepis vesicaria

centre closer view

crepis vesicaria centre close-up

16 to 19 lots of plants close together, they didn't start out that way but as they grew got rather confused, these were two of them from the beginning of August

2-8-2024

crepis vesicaria

2-8-2024

crepis vesicaria

23-8-2024

23-8-2024

23-8-2024

23-8-2024

3-9-2024

crepis_vesicaria

24-9-2024

dandelion crepis vesicaria

16.   2-9-2024

8-9-2024  Crepis vesicaria ?

12-10-2024

dandelion or crepis

17. Crepis vesicaria  17-8-2024

closer view of the centre

2-9-2024

12-10-2024

crepis vesicaria

18.  2-9-2024

crepis vesicaria

18-9-2024  Crepis vesicaria

12-10-2024

dandelion or crepis

centre closer view

dandelion or crepis

19.  2-9-2024

crepis vesicaria

18-9-2024  Crepis vesicaria

12-10-2024

 

20.   dandelion  25-8-2024

dandelion

2-9-2024

dandelion

8-9-2024  

dandelion

12-10-2024

 

21.   25-8-2024

2-9-2024

crepis vesicaria

8-9-2024

5-10-2024

centre closer view

9-10-2024

12-10-2024

dandelion or crepis

centre closer view

dandelion or crepis

22.   28-8-2024

dandelion or crepis

2-9-2024

crepis vesicaria

8-9-2024  Crepis vesicaria ?

5-10-2024

dandelion or crepis vesicaria

centre closer view

dandelion or crepis

9-10-2024

12-10-2024

dandelion or crepis vesicaria

23.  8-9-2024

dandelion? very hairy  7-10-2024

dandelion

12-10-2024

dandelion or crepis vesicaria

centre view very hairy

crepis vesicaria

24.  dandelion  8-9-2024

dandelion

12-10-2024

dandelion

25.   7-8-2024

8-9-2024  Crepis vesicaria ?

21-9-2024

crepis or dandelion

5-10-2024

dandelion

12-10-2024

dandelion or crepis

centre closer view

dandelion or crepis

26.  8-9-2024  dandelion

dandelion

12-10-2024

dandelion or crepis

27.  dandelion  8-9-2024

12-10-2024

dandelion

28.  10-9-2024  Crepis vesicaria ?

crepis vesicaria

closer view of the centre

crepis vesicaria

21-9-2024

crepis vesicaria

5-10-2024

dandelion

centre closer view

dandelion

7-10-2024

dandelion or crepis vesicaria

12-10-2024

dandelion or crepis

centre closer view

dandelion or crepis centre

29. Prickly Sowthistle (Sonchus asper)

prickly sow thistle Sonchus asper

September 2024

19-9-2024

aster

hedge bedstraw

hedge bedstraw

hedge bedstraw

Jersey cudweed

jersey cudweed

 

As usual when I go to an RSPB reserve, the best plants are in the car park and around the entrance.

smooth hawk's-beard (Crepis capillaris)

crepis capillaris smooth hawk's-beard

the leaves are clearer on this photo

crepis capillais smooth hawk's-beard

the flower is clearer on this photo (not that it's clear at all sadly but it was identifiable as Crepis capillaris)

crepis capillaris smooth hawk's-beard

more smooth hawk's-beard (Crepis capillaris) rosettes

crepis capillaris smooth hawk's-beard rosettes

bristly oxtongue

bristly oxtongue Helminthotheca echioides

horseweed (Erigeron canadensis, etc) rosette

horseweed erigeron canadensis

Crepis vesicaria possibly, in an area of mown grass so I don't hold out much hope it will survive and be allowed to bloom

crepis vesicaria

water mint

water mint

water mint

common fleabane

common fleabane

thistle (slender or marsh?)

vetch

vetch

 

I saw more perennial sow thistle (Sonchus arvensis) locally yesterday. There was a butterfly on one but wasn't quick enough to take a photo.

perennial sow thistle Sonchus arvensis

perennial sow thistle Sonchus arvensis

perennial sow thistle Sonchus arvensis

I've struggled to photograph stone parsley (Sison amomum). It's a thin wispy plant and the flowers are tiny.

stone parsley sison amomum

I noticed this willowherb locally with extremely long fruits. I must go back and take better photos and then hope to identify the specific willowherb species.

willowherb long fruits

A new self-seeder for me: salad burnet (Sanguisorba minor), only seen it out and about, not in my own garden before. I've been watching for flowers and suddenly not only flowers but wilting ones so I missed the first flowers.

salad burnet Sanguisorba minor

salad burnet Sanguisorba minor

salad burnet Sanguisorba minor

this was the salad burnet with buds a week ago, before the buds opened

salad burnet Sanguisorba minor

Jersey cudweed

There seems to be a lot of it around here. When I first saw it in Camden and struggled to get flowers in focus (it was in the gutter) but someone saw me taking photos and removed it - so sad people can't wait to take away a wildflower if someone takes an interest.

jersey cudweed Pseudognaphalium luteoalbum

a Jersey cudweed seedling

Jersey cudweed Pseudognaphalium luteoalbum

mushroom in compost

honeyweed / Siberian motherwort (Leonurus sibiricus)

The honeyweed has been a great success this year. I've not grown it before but I've had lots of flowers the first year and the bees are loving it.

honeyweed Siberian motherwort Leonurus sibiricus bees

another view of those bees

honeyweed Siberian motherwort Leonurus sibiricus bees

Leonurus sibiricus honeyweed Siberian motherwort

honeyweed Siberian motherwort Leonurus sibiricus

teasel vs bristly oxtongue

I've had teasels in my garden for years but have only had bristly oxtongue (although seen many out and about) since I moved late last year so I now have the 2 next to each other and thought it would be interesting to compare the leaves. Bristly oxtongue (Helminthotheca echioides) left, teasel (Dipsacus fullonum) right.

teasel bristly oxtongue

closer view of the leaves

teasel bristly oxtongue

bristly oxtongue

bristly oxtongue

teasel

teasel

closer view of those teasel prickles

teasel bristly oxtongue leaves

teasel leaf

teasels that have self-seeded around the houndstongue (now spent after blooming earlier in the summer)

teasel

bristly oxtongue closer views

bristly oxtongue leaf

bristly oxtongue

August 2024

27-8-2024 a cat has discovered the catnip (Nepeta cataria) plants

cat with catnip nepeta cataria

cat with nepeta cataria catnip

cat nepeta cataria catnip

cat nepeta cataria catnip

verbena hastata White Spires self-seeded in a patio crack, with a bee

verbena hastata white spires bee

bee on verbena bonariensis

verbena bonariensis bee

the fox-and-cubs flowering stem grew very long and broke, I think it's too much in the shade and was trying to reach some sun, if I can pot up some of the runners I'll plant them in a sunnier part of the garden

fox-and-cubs

new buds appeared

fox-and-cubs buds

flowers by my front door, grown from seed: cosmos, nasturtiums and morning glory

the bees have been liking the selection

cosmos with bee

23-8-2024 bee on blessed thistle (Centaurea benedicta) which is amongst the honeyweed / Siberian motherwort (Leonurus sibiricus)

blessed thistle with bee

I wanted the morning glory to climb up the railings but one shoot decided to go up the cosmos - actually looks ok doing that

20-8-2024 the cosmos is looking good, producing flowers

cosmos

Livingstone daisy

livingstone daisy

livingstone daisy

20-8-2024 dandelions (Taraxacum) and beaked hawk's-beards (Crepis vesicaria)

I'm numbering them so I can track their development and see if they're really dandelions or beaked hawk's-beards. I examined them all today (28-8-2024) for hairiness. I am assuming the dandelions are hairless and the Crepis hairy.  I was surprised, some I thought were dandelions I now think are Crepis veiscaria.

1. Crepis vesicaria  hairy

closer view of this one

dandelion

full view

dandelion

2. Crepis vesicaria  hairy

dandelion

3. dandelion  no hairs

dandelion

4. Crepis vesicaria  hairy

dandelion

5. dandelion  no hairs

dandelion

6. Crepis vesicaria  hairy

dandelion

7. Crepis vesicaria  hairy

dandelion

dandelion

8. dandelion  no hairs

dandelion

9. Crepis vesicaria  hairy

dandelion

25-8-2024 I moved that seed tray out of the way and gave the plant room to feel a bit more comfortable

crepis vesicaria rosette

10. dandelion  no hairs

dandelion

11. dandelion  no hairs

dandelion

12. dandelion  no hairs

dandelion

13. dandelion  no hairs

dandelion

14. Crepis vesicaria  hairy

crepis vesicaria

15. Crepis vesicaria  hairy

crepis vesicaria

16. Crepis vesicaria  hairy

crepis vesicaria

17. Crepis vesicaria  hairy

crepis vesicaria

18. Crepis vesicaria  hairy

crepis vesicaria

19. Crepis vesicaria  hairy

crepis vesicaria

20. dandelion  no hairs

dandelion

21. Crepis vesicaria  hairy

dandelion

22. Crepis vesicaria  hairy

crepis vesicaria

 

21-8-2024 sunflowers a few days later

sunflower

sunflower with bees

sunflower

sunflower bud

and the next day when that opened

sunflower

another flower opened

sunflower

sunflower

18-8-2024 I tried growing sunflowers from seed but they did not do very well and were eaten by slugs. I shared my few survivors. So thank goodness sunflowers self-seeded from bird seed have performed very well. One is taller than the bird feeder.

sunflower

sunflower bud

sunflowers

15-8-2024 nettle-leaved bellflower I noticed in a neighbour's driveway

nettle-leaved bellflower Campanula trachelium

I had first noticed it back in May but I didn't realise what it was

nettle-leaved bellflower Campanula trachelium

viola Chicky Chick flowers

chicky chick viola

viola chicky chick

viola

viola

that first viola Chicky Chick flower in situ in the bowl of violas

violas

I'm finding it difficult to photograph stone parsley (Sison amomum)

stone parsley sison amomum

the stems are thin and the flowers are small, here amongst Shasta daisies

stone parsley sison amomum

14-8-2024

Livingstone daisies at the base of the cosmos.

livingstone daisy

That one flower is the most amazing peach/pink but my camera just could not capture it.

livingstone daisy

Henbane has been a star performer - lots of flowers and now I see seeds forming so will collect to sow for next year BUT it is tiny compared to what I was expecting. Some sort of annual species.

henbane

henbane

henbane

Violas - one of my favourite flowers, probably one of the first I remember as a child and I still love it even though I can now grow weird and wonderful things such as henbane (awaiting flowering of the deadly nightshade and germination of the mandrake and datura seeds).

viola

12-8-2024 I sowed 1 packet of cosmos seeds. It seems to me the flowers in the first 2 photos are different cultivars? but I'm no expert on cosmos.

cosmos

cosmos

Hoverfly on the first flower.

cosmos

cosmos

Livingstone daisies had found their way into the pot, first yellow flower.

livingstone daisy

11-8-2024

My amaryllis from a previous Christmas then put in the garden, has come to life and produced huge beautiful flowers unexpectedly.

amaryllis

view from the other side, I notice the flowering stem did not rise from the middle of the leaves as I would have expected but from the side of the bulb

amaryllis

verbena hastata self-seeded on the patio (I don't know how, I didn't have seeds but plug plants), photobombed by a cat, of course, in this case, Victor

verbena hastata

the cornflowers are an exquisite blue (not sure it's coming through in my photos), blessed thistle to the left

cornflowers

sea holly above

cornflowers

lesser hawkbit - first I've seen it or is it just that I got down and looked at it carefully

lesser hawkbit Leontodon saxatilis

as it was so much smaller than other yellow flowers there, such as this autumn hawkbit

autumn hawkbit scorzoneroides autumnalis

like rough hawkbit, the buds face down

lesser hawkbit Leontodon saxatilis

colour underside of the petals

lesser hawkbit Leontodon saxatilis

this magnificent beast is growing at the front of my house

horseweed erigeron candensis

lots of buds

horseweed buds erigeron canadensis

flower buds just opening

horseweed flowers

6-8-2024

globe thistle with a bee, small teasel in the background

globe thistle bee small teasel

purple loosestrife

purple loosestrife

saw-wort with bee

saw-wort with bee

summer savory

summer savory

close-up of the flowers

summer savory

rosettes, dandelion on the left? beaked hawk's-beard (Crepis vesicaria) on the right?

rosettes dandelion beaked hawksbeard

beaked hawk's-beard (Crepis vesicaria)?

crepis vesicaria

 

crepis vesicaria

crepis vesicaria

July 2024

hardy geraniums with bees

hardy geranium with bee

hardy geranium with bee

hardy geranium with bee

blessed thistle (Centaurea benedicta) that I grew from seed

blessed thistle Centaurea benedicta

blessed thistle Centaurea benedicta

hibiscus buds

hibiscus buds

ragwort with two kinds of bees

ragwort Jacobea vulgaris bees

henbane in flower, although it's very small, why are my plants so small this year, the very cold spring??

henbane Hyoscyamus niger

henbane Hyoscyamus niger

poppy in bud even so small

poppy seedlings

hibiscus, first time blooming in my new garden

hibiscus syriacus

and it was visited by a bee - what could be better!

hibiscus syriacus

new flowers on the Verbascum Arctic Summer

verbascum arctic summer

stems with that amazing "snow"

verbascum arctic summer

wall lettuce with all stages: buds, flowers, seedheads

wall lettuce lactuca muralis

wall lettuce lactuca muralis

tiny sunflower I found growing in a crack on my patio, I eased it out and potted it up (initially it looked very poorly but eventually perked up), still quite small but looks like it's actually going to bloom soon

sunflower

Scarecrow behind the ragwort

ragwort

Victor in the flowerbed

buddleja

knautia macedonica with bee

knautia macedonica with bee

nepeta with bee

nepeta with bee

canterbury bells  (Campanula Medium Blue)

canterbury bells Medium Blue

Campanula persicifolia Blue

campanula persicifolia

with all the animals in the garden, sometimes plants get damaged, this phlox was broken off so I put it in a vase inside, I'll see if the bud opens

phlox

hawkweed oxtongue (Picris hieracioides)

hawkweed oxtongue Picris hieracioides

hawkweed oxtongue Picris hieracioides

hawkweed oxtongue Picris hieracioides

hawkweed oxtongue Picris hieracioides

this small pot has lots of seedlings, the easy ones are forget-me-not at the top, red wall lettuce in the middle

strawberry on the right

strawberry seedling

I don't know what this one is

below looks like a nepeta above a snapdragon but too early to be sure

I also don't know what this one is although it looks delphinium-ish

another pot with intriguing seedlings, was supposed to be Poppy Black Magic but there are 3 that look a lot like lupins, I don't have any lupin seeds and the only lupins I had in this new garden are 2 that were decimated by slugs before any seed pods were produced so maybe the seed packet had lupins by mistake?? primula at the top, poppy top right and a tiny poppy with a bud bottom right

closer view of those seedlings from the pot above

closer view still of the poppy with a bud, I'm curious to see what poppy this is

poppy seedling

autumn hawkbit rosette (Scorzoneroides autumnalis) and small-flowered crane's-bill (Geranium pusillum)

geranium pusillum

perennial sow-thistle (Sonchus arvensis)

perennial sow-thistle sonchus arvensis

perennial sow-thistle sonchus arvensis

perennial sow thistle sonchus arvensis

perennial sow thistle sonchus arvensis

perennial sow thistle sonchus arvensis

perennial sow thistle sonchus arvensis

 

small-flowered crane's-bill (Geranium pusillum)

geranium pusillum small-flowered crane's-bill

geranium pusillum small-flowered crane's-bill

geranium pusillum small-flowered crane's-bill

geranium pusillum small-flowered crane's-bill

geranium pusillum small-flowered crane's-bill

Agastache Black Adder

agastache Black Adder

agastache Black Adder

I'm still discovering new plants in the garden, golden creeping jenny, didn't know this at all before

golden creeping jenny Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea'

golden creeping jenny Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea'

golden creeping jenny Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea'

clematis (montana?) I saw a vine I thought might be clematis but it has bloomed recently so become identifiable

clematis

clematis

clematis

evening primrose in bloom, didn't even realise I had it, must have been in a pot I brought

evening primrose

evening primrose

crocosima and hardy geranium in the background

crocosima geranium

these were some of the crocosima leaves back in March which I did not recognise as crocosima as mine were a bit different, I was skeptical they were crocosima but they did indeed turn out to be crocosima

Verbascum Arctic Summer had been damaged by mullein moth caterpillars but after I relocated them to the water figwort / buddleja new buds started to grow

verbascum arctic summer

this was the damaged stem to the right eaten by the caterpillars, 3 weeks before

verbascum arctic summer

saw-wort buds

saw-wort

first small teasel flower in bloom, the bees love this, I saw one this morning on it but couldn't snap a photo in time

small teasel Dipsacus pilosus

I was heading over to this side of the garden to take a photo, when I got close I discovered Scarecrow in the grass - I didn't realise he was there. He's well-camouflaged.

a poppy in bloom in the patio cracks garden

poppy

I snapped a photo of a bee on the nepeta but it's not very visible, my visiting white cat to the right

perennial wall rocket (Diplotaxis tenuifolia), possibly in a wildflower seed packet I sowed in that pot last year - or - it just self-seeded

perennial wall rocket Diplotaxis tenuifolia

the flower is at the far right side of the photo above at the end of a long stem, here is a close-up

Diplotaxis tenuifolia perennial wall rocket

autumn hawkbit (Scorzoneroides autumnalis)

at this time of year, the yellow-flowered self-seeders tend to be either smooth hawk's-beard or autumn hawkbit and only examination of the flowers from the side can be definitive, (below shows smooth hawk's-beard with the 2nd row of phyllaries), this is autumn hawkbit with the top of the stem  tapered into the flower

autumn hawkbit Scorzoneroides autumnalis

Scorzoneroides autumnalis autumn hawkbit

the basal rosette of autumn hawkbit deeply lobed leaves, just one flower there, I'm finding locally it's just starting to bloom

autumn hawkbit Scorzoneroides autumnalis

autumn hawkbit Scorzoneroides autumnalis rosette

autumn hawkbit Scorzoneroides autumnalis

closer view of the autumn hawkbit buds

autumn hawkbit Scorzoneroides autumnalis

lots of rosettes about without stems with buds yet

autumn hawkbit Scorzoneroides autumnalis

this spectacular rosette with lots of flowering stems has self-seeded in a neighbours driveway

autumn hawkbit Scorzoneroides autumnalis

 

smooth hawk's-beard (Crepis capillaris)

I moved to my current house in December, 7 months ago, and of course, I immediately started looking at the plants and taking photos. This was self-seeded at the base of a brick trough along the side of the driveway.  I thought it looked very catsear-like but not the usual hairiness.

December 2023

crepis capillaris smooth hawksbeard

February 2024

crepis capillaris smooth hawksbeard

March 2024  as it was on my driveway it was easy to take regular photos

crepis capillaris smooth hawksbeard

June 2024 I see smooth hawk's-beard in bloom in that spot which I didn't immediately associate with that rosette which I had forgotten about being so busy in the back garden. Then I went back and looked at my photos and realised I had seen the earliest rosette of smooth hawk's-beard back in December.

crepis capillaris smooth hawk's-beard

crepis capillaris smooth hawk's-beard

a separate photo of the base as I'm struggling with my phone to take a decent photo of the entire plant

crepis capillaris smooth hawk's-beard

crepis capillaris smooth hawk's-beard

crepis capillaris smooth hawk's-beard

crepis capillaris smooth hawk's-beard

also seen near the autumn hawkbit,

goatsbeard (Tragopodon pratensis), close-up of the opening bud

goatsbeard Tragopodon pratensis

entire plant

Tragopodon pratensis goatsbeard

perennial sow-thistle (Sonchus arvensis) buds 

perennial sow-thistle Sonchus arvensis

back in my own garden

agastache Black Adder

agastache Black Adder

verbena hastata

verbena hastata

phlox

phlox

rose buds

rose buds

centaurea montana Amethyst

centaurea montana amethyst

selfheal

selfheal

hawkweed oxtongue, phlox on the left, Lauren's Grape poppy on the right

hawkweed oxtongue

 

some wildflowers I saw recently on a walk along the Grand Union Canal in Sarratt

the largest burdock leaves I've ever seen

burdock leaves

entire burdock plant

burdock

another nearby burdock plant

burdock

also time for extremely large common hogweed

common hogweed

common hogweed flowers

common hogweed

white melilot

white melilot

wild parsnip

wild parsnip

wild parsnip

wild parsnip leaves

wild parsnip

wild parsnip

wild parsnip

wild parsnip

wild parsnip

hemp-agrimony in bud

hemp-agrimony

hemp-agrimony

hemp-agrimony

left to right smooth hawk's-beard (Crepis capillaris), dandelion, smooth hawk's-beard (Crepis capillaris), gypsywort

crepis capillaris dandelion gypsywort

closer views

two stems of Crepis capillaris and dandelion on right

crepis capillaris smooth hawk's-beard dandelion

gypsywort

gypsywort

thistle (not sure species, will research)

thistle

a lock along the Grand Union Canal

lock grand union canal

lock Grand Union Canal

on the opposite side of the towpath, lots and lots of goat's-rue

goatsrue

goatsrue

goatsrue

it was on  the other side of a fence so although I was keen to get into that area to look at the wilflowers, it was not possible

goatsrue

goatsrue

a nearby central reservation had a lot of white flowers

white melilot central reservation

white melilot central reservation

I wasn't sure what they were as it was difficult to go too close but I saw this white melilot on the close side of the road so I think it's that. If I can, I'll go back and try to get close.

white melilot

end of June 2024

Agastache Black Adder

agastache black adder

selfheal

selfheal

I planted out the giant knapweed (Centaurea macrocephala) seedlings but they aren't looking great so concerned maybe I did it too soon

I found two others amongst the safflower seedlings so repotted them. I will keep them until they're a lot larger and stronger.

giant knapweed centaurea macrocephala

I also planted out the safflower seedlings - with two cats

safflower seedlings Carthamus tinctorius

it's very difficult to plant into the lawn of my new garden, where the seed tray was the grass was dying so easier to dig into so I planted those (above) but found another pot and couldn't get into the ground next to those but a pot had been to the left of the nepeta (see below) so was able to dig there and plant the safflower seedlings there

safflower seedlings Carthamus tinctorius

same with the milk thistle seedlings, I had to plant them where the pots were

milk thistle seedlings Silybum marianum

milk thistle seedlings Silybum marianum

29-6-2024 the garden on my patio growing in the cracks: red deadnettle, poppy, selfheal

close-up of the deadnettle

red deadnettle

willowherb

willowherb

borage

borage

prickly sow thistle

prickly sow thistle

verbascum

verbascum

green alkanet

green alkanet

28-6-2024 today's speckled petunias

speckled petunias

corncockle and cornflowers

corncockle cornflowers

cornflowers

cornflowers M+S Pollinator Flowers

purple loosestrife first floret opening

purple loosestrife

ribwort plantain huge flower

ribwort plantain

24-6-2024 Lauren's grape with a bee (maybe a little difficult to see)

lauren's grape poppy with bee

Verbena hastata I bought as plug plants, now blooming

verbena hastata

verbena hastata

verbena hastata

scabious in bloom

scabious

scabious

one in bloom and lots of buds

scabious

this self-seeded on my patio, not sure where it came from, wish I could repot it but doubt it would survive

borage

bee on edelweiss (Leontopodium alpina)

edelweiss bee

fox-and-cubs

fox-and-cubs Pilosella aurantica

Speckled petunias

speckled petunias

scarlet monkey flower (Mimulus cardinalis)

scarlet monkey flower Mimulus cardinalis

Salvia sylvestris Rose Queen and Salvia sylvestris Blue Queen

salvia Rose Queen Blue Queen

campanulas around giant knapweed seedlings planted out

giant knapweed seedlings campanula

magic of an unmown verge

verges can be a magical place for wildflowers

verge

I've never seen so many teasels

verge

the season for ragwort in bloom

verge

closer view of the Sisyrinchium striatum shown in the centre above

sisyrinchium striatum

Echium vulgare

echium vulgare

verge

lots of creeping potentilla

creeping cinquefoil

creeping cinquefoil

the pink flowers are common centaury

verge

large swathes of common centaury, most I've ever seen

verge

close-up of common centaury

common centaury

verge

hypericum

hypericum

ragwort

verge

creeping thistle buds

creeping thistle buds

on the other side of the road, smooth sow thistle with a bee

smooth sow thistle bee

wild carrot

wild carrot

wild carrot

wild carrot

wild carrot

wild carrot

ragwort, corn marigold above

ragwort corn marigold

goatsbeard seedhead

goatsbeard

wild lettuce

wild lettuce

wild lettuce buds

wild lettuce buds

wild lettuce buds

Lepidium campestre ? seeds

lepidium seeds

buck's-horn plantain

buckshorn plantain

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