The beauty of weeds

[Dutchy]

Almost forgot about this all so here are some more weeds.









They are good for wildlife too. I am glad that in the area around my house they don't mow but twice a year and leave the weeds to it. We have twice the amout of butterflies and umpteen more hover flies and they are good pest controlers.
Yes yes there are more pests but there is a balance and in all things are better.

[Shrubrose]

Dutchy what are those blue flowers in your second photo? They look a little like a penstemon.

[Jonah]

I was wondering if Dutchy's plant was the same as mine [or maybe corydalis?]:

It's a Galega officianalis/ Meadow Goats Rue. Mine looks more lilac and white, but the leaves look similar.

Another one that drives me mad when it keeps popping up in the lawn, but it's made a little patch at the corner of a flower bed, and I quite like it, so I'm leaving it [don't know what it is called] :

[4pygmies]

Jonah, your mystery native plant (NOT weed ;D) is Self Heal (Prunella vulgaris) a member of the Mint family. It has a long history as a medicinal herb and was used to staunch and heal wounds particularly in the mouth and throat. It's a little beautyand butterflies love it. It's a good edging plant if you don't like it in your lawn....

[Shrubrose]

I have this also Jonah, comes up everywhere. dont mind it that at the moment as it helps suppress weeds. 4P thanks for naming it as I didn't know but thought it might be some form of ajuga.

[Dutchy]

It is said that the Romans introduced it. ( it behaves as a weed )
I too have it all over but I do not mind.
Nextdoors is giving me angry eyes over it though. But then she prefers a concreted over garden I think.
( yes I am getting fed up with her complaining about my plants being invasive when her Bamboo is making a bee line for my pond ) grumble.
As for the little blue one it is not very big and I will try and find what it is. It rambles through the grass and other plants around it and then pokes this lovely flowers up. It is a weed but a very pretty one.

[Dutchy]

Oh clever I mislaid my book on wildflowers.
Will try and find it later.
It is not Corydalis but might be Galega.

[beanie]

the blue flower is a vetch, and seems to be the tufted variety.found a very good site for wild flowers
www.british-wild-flowers.co.uk/V-Flowers/Vetch,%20Tufted.htm

[beanie]

'i'll try again my time ran out
www.british-wild-flowers.co.uk/V-Flowers/Vetch,%20Tufted.htm

[beanie]

still not working

[Chuckles]

Oh dear Beanie it's one of those awkward links, this works but only takes you to the V page then you need to click on Vetch Tufted

www.british-wild-flowers.co.uk/#V

I usually find it best to preview the post and try the link, saves a lot of frustration

[Jonah]

Thanks 4P for naming my weed native.
It's funny, shortly after posting my message I was laying there thinking 'why did I say Corydalis, the leaves are totally different!' But by then I had been summoned by a toddler and couldn't get to the pc!
I like the look of the Vetch, might have to have a go with that.

Dutchy, I can sympathise with your difference of opinion with your neighbours. Mine have about 4 plants in the front, and they have a forsythia that is not allowed to reach a height of more than about 4 ft. It looks like a strange upside down triangle. I think the husbands military training has contributed to the regimented flower display, but they do seem to like mine, fortunately, even if it is a bit unruly.

[Dutchy]

My neighbours are not that bad it is just that they don't like gardening and reduce it to a minimum. Than they have to work on it because my plants but also a lot of wild plants and plants from other gardens move in. I suppose it is a quetion of "La ton qui fait la musique". The way she says it makes me feel quilty ( which then psss me off) even when she probably does not mean it that way she just is one of those moaning mirtles. Not unkind though.

The weed is indeed a Vicia cracca. ( found my wild flora book)
I did not know the English name nor could I find it in the dictionary. Vogelwikke is a tufted Vetch then. We live and learn.