NEW Gardeners !

It is usually mostly used as the common name for wild blackberries and comes from Middle English from about 1,000 years ago. It tends to be mainly used for wild blackberries but it is also used for unwanted vigorous plants with thorns such as wild roses (also called briar) and many others.

Thank you @john558 I realise that I don't even know how they are supposed to look I will go and deadhead them now, thank you

Thanks all for your advice! Plenty to take on now

@Karen1986 I didn't know if mine would come back, but I thought either it would come back and might look better (which has happened) or it wouldn't return and I could plant something else that might be happier there.

Thanks for the advice! Will get a larger pot this weekend and will keep well watered against a shaded wall.

You can get ericaceous JI compost, but I'd still mix it with either peat or a standard ericaceous compost. I was under the impression that there are a certain group of Rhodos that originate in North America which are lime tolerant.

As a small kid, I clearly remember tucking into Yew berries from the Yew in the local graveyard. I must have instinctivly known not to eat the seed, just the aril, as I'm still here. I still do when I see them.

Thanks to both for your replies. After a little research Pete I do believe it is a Common Mallow. Just browsing online I notice that the plant roots from the Marsh Mallow were formerly used to make Marshmallows a confection. Sorry I failed to give an indication of the leaf size Pete, will try...

Also its occurred to me that oif the intention is for flowers? Then maybe pruning should actually take place after flowering, anything during later times is likely to cut off flowering wood. But not grown this plant, so only a thought.

@Chapster I would definitely say they have been affected by blight. Best to do as advised above. As long as you take care not to dig up any of the potatoes they will be fine underground for a few more weeks.

Very interesting, from your comments it sounds like there is a growing community around this subject, expect its developed from things like the No Dig and Organic methods.If you have a large enough garden are you going to reserve part for typical soil treatment to use a a reference against...

Yes very wet and very compacted . Acidic soil also . I came from chalky Buckinghamshire so this is all new to me . Lol

Sorry to get back so late. Many thanks for the replies and advice. Wasn't sure how the multi-quote worked.

I've found fuchsias bleed if you prune them in spring, fine if you are just removing dead wood but if you cut into hard wood the sap runs for a few days. Not really noticed it causes real problem though, just seems a waste.

We have had a LOT done in the last week.Another pal of mine has a mini digger. So we decided it would be best to pull the ivy out... we cleared so much land with that thing. We also levelled the parts of the field that were very ridged.The shed is now clear and mostly spider free apart...

You may find that the root systems are extensive, making total removal a major job. My thoughts are that you could get a tree surgeon type to remove the top and dispose, a smallish task for them. Leave some stems of clematis as @noisette47 suggests and see what comes. You might add your choice...

Thanks everyone for your input. All very helpful. Best regards, Paul

Oh yes , thank you, I’ll do that!

Ok, Dahlias in large pots/tubs no problem. Grow tubers (look a bit like potatoes!)which are in garden centres now. Strawberries can do well in troughs, many commercial crops now grown this way. Buy plants online or watch for them at Lidl. Sunflowers are easy and offer spectacle/colour, grow from...

Great info!! Thanks.