Any idea what these are??

[Barbel Bob]

Hi,

Not noticed these last year!!! most probably because surrounded by millions of weeds!! I am very new to gardening and just spent last year getting rid of 5yrs of weeds in this border. This year I would like to plan it more and would like to re-use the flowers/shrubs that are in this border somewhere else in the garden. Before I do i wonder if anyone can tell me what to expect from these pictures, it may be difficult so i am sorry in advance!!!

Thanks J

 

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[Clair]

The last two look like peonies.

[ViVienne]

yes peonies, the other things could be bluebells

[ViVienne]

looks like you have day lillies behind the primula too

[Barbel Bob]

Wow!!

I have peonies (in another part of the garden) that was identified here last year! they have not started growing yet, i am pretty sure they were not in this border last year would they just grow there???? without me planting?

Could the ones that look like bluebells be snowdrops???

The ones that look like day lilys had orange flowers on last year and i was not particularly fond of them, they took over the border and did not look that impressive, once i know what everything is i was going to pull them up but maybe i will just thin them out, as there is a lot of them.

As the weather is so nice, i want to garden!!! but I have so many bulbs that i will just have to be patient, so am going to do a little planning first! This is only our second summer in the garden, last year i took someones advice to see what was in the garden and wait till this year to do major changes.

Gardening is sooooooooo hard but i am enjoying learning all about the different types of flowers etc....[8-)]

Thanks

J

[ukhostland]

I see what appear to be Bluebells,Tulips, Primrose and Paeony.

I am working on recovering a garden from 25 years of neglect: currently digging and weeding a 15m boundary border and planting at the same time.

I've just got to the house end from the centre of the garden with a 1.5m wide bed, but I've started again at the other end to make it much wider. Its in the shade of two huge Sequoias and I have a couple of Rhododendrons, 3 evergreen Azaleas, a Daphne mezerium, two Japanese Maples, an Osmanthus, Magnolia stelata, Hamaemellis, an American Holly, a dwarf Philadelphus and a few other bits and pieces to go in that area.

Next week we'll move on to the sunny bit so a few cooler days would be appreciated!

Colin

[Barbel Bob]

Thanks Colin, it must be so nice to know as much as you do, i recall seeing photos on another post of what you had done so far, or on your blog, amazing!!

Here are 3 more photos, not very good so i am sure they will be a challenge!!! The first picture is the plant at the centre, it has bluedrops growing through the middle of it!!!

The shrub one, i pruned right back in the autumn it is in 3 places, one has thorns the others dont, but all similiar bark and new shoots....i thought it may be a quince shrub as i have a large one of these in the garden but it is not. The other picture is a small compact plant.

Would it be possible to dig up the peonies and move them to a better area of the garden??

 

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[Jo]

The one in the top photo looks like Jacob's ladder, the plant growing through it could be bluebells, although I have a similar plant which has blue star shaped flowers on. Unfortunately, I don't know what it's called[:$]

[Callie]

The shrub next to the tulips in the middle photo looks like a cotoneaster.

Regarding moving peonies - some people say that you cannot move them. We have moved them successfully in the past but I think it's probably important to take as much of the original soil with it and disturb the roots as little as possible.

The plant that produces orange flowers could be a mombretia (not sure about the spelling). It is good for putting along the edge of a building but can become quite invasive....

[Pierre ZFP]

My understanding is that you can move peonies but with a few points to bear in mind.

Best time is early autumn

You can move them in spring but they will not bloom that year.

Most important, do not replant them too deep.  They live quite near the surface so make sure they are replanted to exactly the same depth as before and as said above, take as much original soil with them as possible.  Replanting too deep is certain death for them.

I have managed to move some following the above advice and they all survived (by some miracle)

 

[ViVienne]

I love this time of year when you discover what plants are going to come back and which ones aren't. I think I am a bit of a plantaholic....

[Chris]

The problem with replanting peonies too deep tends to be that they will produce leaves but not flowers. It's easily done - plant them at what looks like the right depth in nicely cultivated soil, and as the soil settles with rain etc they will first sit in a puddle (which they hate!) then end up too deep.  'Tree Peonies' of the grafted variety are a different matter altogether, but that's another story.....

Chris

[odile]

moving next week - want to take my 2 tree peaonies - pruned them in autumn - I suppose they want flower this year - but that is the price to pay. Any advice. How hardy are they? Thanks

[Barbel Bob]

Thanks everyone for their help!! I have some amazing plants growing that were not there last year!! I am doing a lot of googling trying to find out as much as i can!

I will try to re-plant the peonies as they are no good were they are, virtually under a hedge...will hope for flowers next year.

J [:D]

[Chris]

Why do we always move at the worst times of the year for our plants?! Assuming they are mature plants, which were planted  properly in the first place....moving tree peonies at this time of the year is first a matter of avoiding root damage. Peonies have two kinds of root - the fine white actual roots, and the thick (and brittle) food store type roots. You need to get them up carefully, not disturbing the white roots more than you can avoid. The food stores do tend to break, but the plant can recover and rebuild them.  Plant asap in the new location, well watered, but not sitting in water which might rot damaged roots.  Reduce transpiration by judicious pruning, and yes, they shouldn't be allowed to flower this year. Shade from hot sun will be especially important this year while they re-establish.

How hardy are they? Depends a bit on the species. The garden centre norm will probably be a grafted Japanese hybrid (these can require special attention when planting if they are to survive long-term), or sometimes a Chinese hybrid (more likely to be on own roots). These are known as Paeonia suffruticosa hybrids, and are quite hardy in much of Britain - they form buds very early, so are vulnerable to frost damage - avoid a frost pocket, or early sunshine from the east if you can. Other species are rarer - the toughest is the rather expensive Paeonia rockii, with its hybrids known collectively as Gansu Mudan, which compensate for environment by creation vast root-systems. Wonderful!