I wish I’d never planted that…
Haven’t we all got at least one plant we wish we hadn’t planted? Something in the wrong place, a thuggish spreader or a plant impossible to get rid of?
This is where we can share our regrets. After all, forewarned is forearmed.
When I was planting a native mixed hedge I thought BLACKTHORN would be great - pretty, white blossom and fruit for sloe gin afterwards. What was not to like? Well, as it turned out, vicious thorns that if they puncture the skin invariably cause an infection, I still have the scar. So we cut them all down years ago, but they are still sending out runners, yards away from where the original shrubs were. Then there was the plant of RED VEINED SORREL which I bought at Wisley in 2018. So decorative, it flourished in the veg garden, grew tall, flowered and set seed, Seedlings appeared everywhere the following year and so I took the plant out but little seedling are still appearing in nooks and crannies as far away as 30 yards from where the original plant was. Then there are the SPANISH BLUEBELLS, which when I planted a few in the 1990s I didn’t realise can hybridise with, and are a danger to, our our native bluebells. It has proved impossible to dig out every trace of them and they appear each year. Jane Cunningham
I regret the person who lived here before me planting PHYGELIUS as it spreads at a phenomenal rate and is as tough as the proverbial cockroach! It keeps trying to invade and take over the greenhouse! Jane Stevens
My problem plant is ACANTHUS MOLLIS. Once it's in the ground you'll never be rid of it plus it self seeds all over the place. I keep digging it out but one tiny bit of root missed grows back. I also have JAPANESE ANEMONES that have travelled far and wide by underground stems, very pretty but a pain when they become entangled in other plants roots. Judy Taylor
My cousin regrets planting BAMBOO but on the brightside: he has an endless supply of garden canes. Alison Simpson
The problem at my last garden was ALSTROEMERIA, which spreads all over the place, creating large clumps. It’s pretty but gets out of control quickly. It was amazing, they were planted in one place & after a while popped up everywhere, pushing up through under other plants etc. Great for cut flowers but became annoying in the end. The other bane of my life there was pink JAPANESE ANEMONES, the roots or tubers of which travel along underground & are very difficult to dig out. Beware! Alison Ball
We planted a KATSURA TREE. It is obviously in the wrong place though, the border is far too dry. We love the toffee smell from leaves but they fall very quickly. The tree is too big for us to move so we will be taking it out soon. Such a shame. Liz Simmons
CROCUS TOMMASINIANUS - spreads in both meadows and borders. Has a tiny bulb that’s very hard to remove. MUSCARI - spreads on borders and self seeds in pathways. causes lots of tiny bulbs to shoot up with no or minimal flowering. Can swamp beds. HOUTTUYNIA CORDATA - ground cover that takes over. Has a funny metallic smell. It gets its roots in other herbaceous perennials and you can’t get rid of it. RUDBECKIA- be careful this loves to spread. It will take over large areas of a bed and be almost impossible to eradicate. Ella Hammond
My nuisance plants are PHLOMIS RUSSELIANA and SISYRINCHIUM STRIATUM. I love them both, and they are both drought tolerant, but they are prolific self- seeders. Sisyrinchium, at least, is easy to dig up but the Phlomis is the devil to dig out if you let it get too big. Sue Pennicott
Do you have anything you wished you had never planted?
We would love to hear about it - you can share your problem plant in the comments box below.