Plants you really wouldn't have in your garden

Plant gifts are also unwelcome, I didn’t choose them, sorry, no .

 

I don't like arums, they remind me of graveyards and look artificial.
My husband hates tulips.

 

Variegated anything, in particular the spotted ones. They look sick to start with. Vinca Minor doesn't count as it's lovely.

Mahonias, as they technically should be lush, evergreen and exotic, but in practise are spindly and awkward.

Potentilla because they were popular in my childhood- name another shrub that is just dry sticks for the best part of the year and are so brittle that kids are forbidden to approach. The only plus side of Potentillas is their attractiveness to aphids, which means plenty of Ladybirds which are nice.

Hebes are too stiff for my liking, and Heucheras too artificial.

I also dislike Trump, e-readers, leggings, canteen curry, fringes, BBQ "spice mixes", green beans, home decorations saying things like "home", baked beans, Coke and artificial "flower" balls on both sides of the front door. Do I qualify as a Grumpy Old Hag?

 

Not a good idea! Everyone's entitled to their opinions, likes and dislikes, and they shouldn't have to justify them.
ETA: @Selleri.....you've reminded me about Potentillas! Another one for the list!

 

This was meant as a light hearted comment, hence the grinning smilie. Of course everyone has their likes and dislikes and shouldn’t have to justify them.

 

Notwithstanding spotted Laurels of course, or Potentillas.

 

Definitely not; perfectly reasonable dislikes.

 

I prefer plants to have a natural look (even if it's tidied up). That's why I am not a fan of topiary or even a huge fan of tightly clipped hedges. But my actual pet hate is something like this. (I found the photo online).



To me, this looks like the work of a sadist.

 

Was also going to add to the list these type of shrubs with the deliberately twisted stems. Bay leaf seems to be a common victim of this bizarre practice. Why would someone want to deliberately make a nice plant more contorted and weird looking?

Also was going to mention Cotoneaster horizontalis as someone has already added as I just don't like the look of the tiny leaves and the variegated version is even worse.

Leylandii is another one already mentioned that deserves a place due to its determination to grow so big that it will dominate almost any garden it is planted in or take huge efforts to stop it doing so.

Pale pink flowered roses are I think also worth a place on the list. The garden here came with Queen Elizabeth roses which still grow in the garden here as they were added by the girlfriends father before the house was built but they are now fairly well hidden behind some other shrubs as the colour of the blooms just hurt my eyes and to dig them up would be a bit rude.

Yew, Laburnum, Ragwort and Sycamore are also on the list due to potentially being a problem for nearby grazers. A garden should be for plants we actually like.

Happy gardening

 

Forsythia tooo yellow for spring. Wouldn't mind it in summer.
Ceanothus always looks creepy to me. Don't know why.
Zinnia - khaki coloured leaves don't match anything.
Municipal begonias with brown leaves .
There are others that,while I have no real aversion to them, I wouldn't bother with them in my garden.

 

Maybe you're just in the wrong part of the country for Mahonia. In my neighbourhood, they grow as tall as small trees with similar spread, and are smothered in flowers and berries.

 

I've seen those in the local garden centre. They cost a fortune too.

 

This thread is SO interesting! I see someone's dislikes and go "Yes, definitely", then remember one of those plants looking good in the right time and place eg forsythia - terribly boring foliage, but the yellow can cheer you up on a bad day. The only one I can mostly agree with is spotty variegation, but I'm sure I'll see a good use of it somewhere. I think in gardening terms, I'm a bit wanton
Oh there is one. Cherry laurel. Never seen it looking good in a garden.

 

Hmmm, I always have thought that I like most plants, especially if they are willing to grow for me (I too share the challenge of sand-soil, on a slope, facing south-west and s wind tunnel, so drought is a constant problem).

However, pyracantha is just plain vicious, berberis aspires to grow up to be pyracantha, gorse - it does not belong in a garden, especially right up against the house “Dad…?”!

Bergenia can be interesting, in its place, but not really in my garden, thank you. Cherry laurel - there are so many better hedging plants. Cotoneaster horizontalis just seems to lie in wait to trip me when I am not looking.

Generally, double narcissus look wrong, as do the pimped double tulips.

Borage - I know the bees like it, but the rash it gives me - it needs to stay in the wilderness bits of the garden, to be tolerated. Valerian - very personal - it grew along the steps up to the parking area of my flat, and tried to smear its pink flower-sap onto my wedding dress. I’ve never forgiven it!

I’m not as tolerant as I thought!!

 

I'm a little surprised no one has mentioned the Kilmarnock willow or the original bird poo bush, the flamingo willow. Both seemed, quite rightly, to get so much abuse on the other gardening forum.