Identification Area

Hi Stu and a warm welcome from me too.I agree with the others about it being a Catalpa. Our kids have one in their garden, it's about 18 years old and quite large already. It gives wonderful shade so it might be nice to eventually build a table around it.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalpa

Agreed! That's what made me uncertain - they look like single leaves, too, not several coming from a central stalk. Very sambucus-like, though, so I'll try to follow that up...Bis morgen! Tschuss!

Sorry Kandy........but was absent last week. It's funny how a common plant sometimes passes you by. I have just noticed in Laurie's pic at the top of this page.....in the background...Lysmachia :D

Thanks for that, Blackthorn. A friend, alas, now living in France said that she thought it was a Himalayan Honeysuckle, which I believe is the same thing, when it was a tiny thing and I don't even know how it got where it was.Another friend said it was a "big weed", next-door said "too pretty...

Liz - I think you must be right. Though its not one I have seen before, and am still bemused. The bend in the flower itself is very much a Salvia trait. The red stems should be a strong clue. I haven't seen red stems on a Salvia before, but some blue flowered ones such as S. farinacea 'Victoria'...

Pete and Goggs, re the Solanum, I agree that it is not Quitoense as it has no spines on the surface as mine does, it could be S Pyracanthos although the spines on mine are more purple than the orange in the pic, perhaps it will change colour as it grows, by the way it has had two blue flowers....

My dad has this...Clematis 'General Sikorski'

I've had good nights out like that as well!TO

The first picture looks to be either Acer platanoides Crimson Queen or Crimson King.The second photo seems to be of one of the Laburnums. David.

They can stand it on my window ledge in the direct sun, doesn't faze them at all, now I know why :D

Very good liz, can't go wrong at that price

Hi Laurie if you Google the name then a picture of the plant in flower comes up first on the list

Bobj 's plant is Senecio. A nice variety is 'sunshine': http://www.english-country-garden.com/flowers/senecio.htm

Well by elimination - its not mountain ash cause it doesn't have the leaf serrations. Its definitely not beech or elm. Have just looked at a young ash down the garden and that does look like yours. On mine all the leaves have 4 pairs of leaflets with one at the end. Keble Martin draws his like...

Yes, I think so too Blackthorn. I'll post a pic when we get it moved in the autumn.

Mmmm..I see it could reach 35ft!...I reckon it's destined for the edge of the stream along the footpath..

In the first picture the leaf being held looks like one of the ground cover berries [Rubus]. They can be very ornamental in the right place and some have edible berries. I like it. the lysimachia punctata is also attractive, and the fern. Personally I'd keep a plant if you like it and it fits in...

Here are mine -

Good point Geoff.

If you don't have a pond, you could try putting them on a plate for the birds - if they don't fry in the sun first!