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Gardeners World

Stevo_666Stevo_666 Posts: 54,608
edited May 2022 in The bottom bracket
Aka name the contents of my garden because I don't have a clue but I need to look after some of them :)

Managed to take pics of the front on the way put to shops before it started getting unpleasantly soggy so there may be a part 2 later for the stuff out the back.

First one is the F.O. Big Tree which I reckon is a horse chestnut but am happy to be proved wrong. Not sure about any of the others. All info/guesses welcome.

















"I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
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  • seanoconnseanoconn Posts: 10,470
    No1 correct
    No2 censored picture
    No3 rhododendron
    No4 Laburnum
    No5 Rhododendron
    No6 censored picture
    No7 Azalea
    No8 variegated weigela
    No9 Pieris
    No10 Lilac
    No11 Elaeagnus
    No12 Laburnum aka Golden shower tree 😃
    Pinno, מלך אידיוט וחרא מכונאי
  • seanoconnseanoconn Posts: 10,470
    FYI. Most of those will look after themselves although the elaeagnus doesn’t look very happy.
    Pinno, מלך אידיוט וחרא מכונאי
  • Stevo_666Stevo_666 Posts: 54,608
    edited May 2022
    Blimey Seano, never knew you were such an expert on gardening :) Ta very much for that.

    Will try to grab better pics of the two censored ones later. In the meantime, for a bonus point, what's the purple thing behind the Laburnum in pic #4?
    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • masjermasjer Posts: 2,144
    1 Big tree- looks like a horse chestnut. Conkers.
    2 Looks like a sick tree. Can't see it well.
    3. Rhododendron.
    4. Laburnum. Poisonous, don't let your dogs chew it!
    5. Rhododendron.
    6. ?
    7. Honeysuckle.
    8. ?
    9. Pieris
    10. Lilac
    11. Eleagnus?
    12. Laburnum.
  • Stevo_666Stevo_666 Posts: 54,608
    seanoconn said:

    FYI. Most of those will look after themselves although the elaeagnus doesn’t look very happy.

    Nice one.

    The Elaeagnus kinda looked like that when we moved in. Any thoughts on what to do to improve it?
    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • seanoconnseanoconn Posts: 10,470
    Stevo_666 said:

    seanoconn said:

    FYI. Most of those will look after themselves although the elaeagnus doesn’t look very happy.

    Nice one.

    The Elaeagnus kinda looked like that when we moved in. Any thoughts on what to do to improve it?
    Chop it down?
    Pinno, מלך אידיוט וחרא מכונאי
  • seanoconnseanoconn Posts: 10,470
    Stevo_666 said:

    Blimey Seano, never knew you were such an expert on gardening :) Ta very much for that.

    Will try to grab better pics of the two censored ones later. In the meantime, for a bonus point, what's the purple thing behind the Laburnum in pic #4?

    Lilac
    Pinno, מלך אידיוט וחרא מכונאי
  • masjermasjer Posts: 2,144
    6. Choisya?
  • Stevo_666Stevo_666 Posts: 54,608
    edited May 2022
    OK, here's a (hopefully) better couple of shots of #2



    And #6



    And something else I noticed while I was out there:

    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • Stevo_666Stevo_666 Posts: 54,608
    edited May 2022
    masjer said:

    1 Big tree- looks like a horse chestnut. Conkers.
    2 Looks like a sick tree. Can't see it well.
    3. Rhododendron.
    4. Laburnum. Poisonous, don't let your dogs chew it!
    5. Rhododendron.
    6. ?
    7. Honeysuckle.
    8. ?
    9. Pieris
    10. Lilac
    11. Eleagnus?
    12. Laburnum.

    Ta for the tip about Laburnums being poisonous, luckily they're only out the front and we always have the dogs on a lead out there in case they run out of the close and onto the road.

    Looks like we have 2 differing views on #7 !
    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • Stevo_666Stevo_666 Posts: 54,608
    masjer said:

    6. Choisya?

    Never heard of it before but I'm sure you're right. Will go Google it...
    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • mangliermanglier Posts: 1,075
    There is a nifty app for identifying plants called PlantNet.
  • seanoconnseanoconn Posts: 10,470
    masjer said:

    6. Choisya?

    You’ll be waiting a long time for Stevo to give you any answers! 😂
    Pinno, מלך אידיוט וחרא מכונאי
  • Stevo_666Stevo_666 Posts: 54,608
    manglier said:

    There is a nifty app for identifying plants called PlantNet.

    Good call - although replies on here have been very good and as I've just been out the back in the wet to take more pics, I may as well ask you lot...
    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • Stevo_666Stevo_666 Posts: 54,608
    edited May 2022
    Not so much by way of mystery bushes and flowers in the back garden (although can't get decent pics of most of the trees in this light). Ding ding, round 2...

    Number 3 may well be another Rhododendron. And the tree is probably a cherry blossom.





    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • orraloonorraloon Posts: 11,690
    How come they're all growing sideways?

    Rhodies and Azalea, you have acid / low pH soils in Kent?

    The Elaeagnus x ebbingei is a tough plant, that one looks like it's been trimmed to a 1/2 standard type shape. Give it a feed, several handfuls of Growmore, see if it perks up. They have tiny white scented flowers at odd times of the year, e.g. can be in the winter. The bumblebees and chums love them.
  • Stevo_666Stevo_666 Posts: 54,608
    edited May 2022
    orraloon said:

    How come they're all growing sideways?

    Rhodies and Azalea, you have acid / low pH soils in Kent?

    The Elaeagnus x ebbingei is a tough plant, that one looks like it's been trimmed to a 1/2 standard type shape. Give it a feed, several handfuls of Growmore, see if it perks up. They have tiny white scented flowers at odd times of the year, e.g. can be in the winter. The bumblebees and chums love them.

    Ta for that, we're on a sandstone outcrop here so probably slightly acidic soil. Bedrock close to the surface as well - we can see it where they had to chop into the hillside to fit in the extension at the back/side (see the Azelias pic).

    Point noted re the Elaeagnus, will see if it responds to treatment: would be a shame to just chop and replace without giving it a try.
    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • masjermasjer Posts: 2,144
    1.Begonia??
    2 Japanese maple
    3 Rhododendron
    4 Olearia Macrodonta ? More likely if the leaves are serrated.
    5 Cherry
  • Stevo_666Stevo_666 Posts: 54,608
    masjer said:

    1.Begonia??
    2 Japanese maple
    3 Rhododendron
    4 Olearia Macrodonta ? More likely if the leaves are serrated.
    5 Cherry

    Thanks again Masjer - I am learning!
    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • pinnopinno Posts: 49,261
    The RHS good plant guide is a handy little fat book for identifying and maintaining plants.

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=rhs+good+plant+guide&adgrpid=53669543952&gclid=Cj0KCQjwyYKUBhDJARIsAMj9lkHOaNbcDcMkB7wziUeF-_bZFu71GkNsEmYor7l1hmSaN54z9suLqUYaAl7PEALw_wcB&hvadid=259153286563&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=1007273&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=15408179524191197763&hvtargid=kwd-301423910876&hydadcr=24427_1748929&tag=googhydr-21&ref=pd_sl_5yltowg5t2_e

    You can also use the website.

    Use the search bar. For example, I typed in 'small blue flower' and it comes up with a list of results.

    There is also a very handy App for plant identification. Well, actually, there's a few:

    PlantSnap. PHOTO: PLANTSNAP. ...
    Planta. PHOTO: PLANTA. ...
    Leafsnap. Leafsnap operates as a field guide to all things foliage. ...
    GardenAnswers. ...
    iNaturalist. ...
    PlantNet. ...
    PictureThis. ...
    Agrobase.

    Certain creeping plants like Clematis requires cutting back and providing the root stock is good, is pretty resilient.
    What you have pictured will all require maintenance but they are low maintenance.

    I can picture you now doing all your winter pruning, secateurs in hand.
    Who'd have thought?

    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • pinnopinno Posts: 49,261
    edited May 2022
    Take care of that acer palmatum purpureum - they hate frost. A frost when in leaf can kill it. Might be wise to buy some frost protection and be careful about cutting back plants on close proximity to it as they provide a little bit of cover. Maples exist well under existing large trees.
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • Stevo_666Stevo_666 Posts: 54,608
    edited May 2022
    pinno said:

    Take care of that acer palmatum purpureum - they hate frost. A frost when in leaf can kill it. Might be wise to buy some frost protection and be careful about cutting back plants on close proximity to it as they provide a little bit of cover. Maples exist well under existing large trees.

    Thicky question, but which one is the Acer? Is that the Japanese Maple. If so it does have a bit of tree cover which you can't see in the pic, but it's survived however many years outside before we bought the place (they all have) - I assume it's been there for while.
    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • seanoconnseanoconn Posts: 10,470
    Stevo_666 said:

    pinno said:

    Take care of that acer palmatum purpureum - they hate frost. A frost when in leaf can kill it. Might be wise to buy some frost protection and be careful about cutting back plants on close proximity to it as they provide a little bit of cover. Maples exist well under existing large trees.

    Thicky question, but which one is the Acer? Is that the Japanese Maple. If so it does have a bit of tree cover which you can't see in the pic, but it's survived however many years outside before we bought the place (they all have) - I assume it's been there for while.
    Yes it is. Now Pinno has said that it will suddenly catch frost and die after all these years!
    Pinno, מלך אידיוט וחרא מכונאי
  • Stevo_666Stevo_666 Posts: 54,608
    seanoconn said:

    Stevo_666 said:

    pinno said:

    Take care of that acer palmatum purpureum - they hate frost. A frost when in leaf can kill it. Might be wise to buy some frost protection and be careful about cutting back plants on close proximity to it as they provide a little bit of cover. Maples exist well under existing large trees.

    Thicky question, but which one is the Acer? Is that the Japanese Maple. If so it does have a bit of tree cover which you can't see in the pic, but it's survived however many years outside before we bought the place (they all have) - I assume it's been there for while.
    Yes it is. Now Pinno has said that it will suddenly catch frost and die after all these years!
    Probably true in the frozen wastelands of Scotland.
    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • shirley_bassoshirley_basso Posts: 5,773
    Can't grow a bay tree up there
  • Ben6899Ben6899 Posts: 9,686
    edited May 2022
    manglier said:

    There is a nifty app for identifying plants called PlantNet.


    And your common or garden iphone will do it, through the photos app. Just tap the little "(i)" button.
    Ben

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  • pinnopinno Posts: 49,261
    shirley_basso said:

    Can't grow a bay tree up there

    Nope - you're wrong there. If there was enough light, I would take a pic of mine.
    The whole of the West coast is bathed in the gulf stream. We have palm trees on this peninsula.

    https://www.rbge.org.uk/visit/logan-botanic-garden/
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • masjermasjer Posts: 2,144
    pinno said:

    shirley_basso said:

    Can't grow a bay tree up there

    Nope - you're wrong there. If there was enough light, I would take a pic of mine.
    The whole of the West coast is bathed in the gulf stream. We have palm trees on this peninsula.

    https://www.rbge.org.uk/visit/logan-botanic-garden/
    Tis true, but you forgot to mention the downside of the gulf stream, windy wind and wet rain.
  • pinnopinno Posts: 49,261
    masjer said:

    pinno said:

    shirley_basso said:

    Can't grow a bay tree up there

    Nope - you're wrong there. If there was enough light, I would take a pic of mine.
    The whole of the West coast is bathed in the gulf stream. We have palm trees on this peninsula.

    https://www.rbge.org.uk/visit/logan-botanic-garden/
    Tis true, but you forgot to mention the downside of the gulf stream, windy wind and wet rain.
    Point of order m'lord [pedant mode: ON]:

    The windy windy and the wet train has a more to do with the prevailing westerlies pushed along by the jet stream coming off the Atlantic.

    [pedant mode: OFF]
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • Stevo_666Stevo_666 Posts: 54,608
    To be fair we never had a real cold spell this winter gone and certainly no snow. Not sure what I can do apart from see how the Acer gets on next winter. It's quite a big plant so looks like its been around over a few winters.
    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
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