Help with plant ID

Wondered if anyone could help identify the plant below. It's come back year after year, and seems to spread in clumps. It's in the OH's mum's garden and I'm keen to have some of my own, so my second question would be how is best to get my own plant? The soil is very poor and fairly unworkable in the area in question, plus I can't cause too much destruction to the OH's mum's garden and risk being eaten alive I did take some cuttings from the stem and wondered if I could some how propagate from this. Here's a couple of pic's anyway. Hope someone has an idea!!

 

Looks like a Potentilla Guy. They don't mind poor soil.

 

That's great many thanks for your help. Interesting to learn that it's part of the rose family, and often called 'barren strawberry' apparently. The leaves are remiscent of strawberries.

No wonder it loves it where it is, with all that poor soil. Still unsure how I'll propagate it though

 

You could try layering.

 

I will have a read up on that! Never tried it before, but it's worth a shot.

 

It does grow easily from seed CosmosGuy,sown either autumn or spring, I've been collecting some from mine today, also self seeds here, your variety looks very like a variety I have 'Melton Fire'.

 

Thanks for that Simbad....I didnt think of that stupidly :wallbang: I'll leave it a while. I tend to the garden for her anyway so I'll be able to let it seed knowing it won't get picked off. I'll try and sow some of my own for next year fingers crossed. Do you have any other varieties? I wondered if there was a nice yellow to add into the mix.

Just out of interest where are you in Lincs. I only ask as I visit friends over by Conningsby regularly. Beautiful county!! And I'm jealous of your soil

 

Funnily enough I have a yellow swapped the seed with a friend she thinks its 'Recta' but not sure,it flowers really early in spring, I've cut it back now or I could have collected you some seed also I have 'Monarchs Velvet' which is a fabulous deep red colour and 'Helen Jane a pink.
I live in Gainsborough so not that far from Conningsby, we do have great soil, even better that our house is on old allotment land so been improved over the years.

 

I'm certainly going to look around for it when I'm about! No worries about the seeds, I will have a look out for some. If anyone else wants any of the seeds from the one below they're welcome to them too. Do you have a large area of them in your garden?

Well they actually live in Tattershall right by the castle if you ever go that way...despite having NT membership I still haven't gone in, but plenty of walking around it with the dogs. It's right alongside the runway to the RAF base at Conningsby so it can get a little loud when the Eurofighters go up....but you get used to it...I'm sure you're used to them too? The soil seems so light and workable.....makes a welcome change getting stuck in helping my friend in the garden and not getting frustrated with lumps of heavy clay :D Mind you I guess you have to keep on top of the watering more so ?

 

I can't be dealing with seeds personally as it's so difficult with the heat. I had 'Melton Fire' here for several years and loved it.

CosmosGuy, stupid question probably, but as it is a perennial, why don't you just 'appropriate' a few roots whilst you are gardening at your M-in-Ls?

 

I'm fairly sure that the Potentilla we have is also 'Melton Fire.' I will probably try a layered cutting to see what happens, and also sow some seeds too. I could try and get some roots out of the soil....but it's right in front of the window will have to cover it over again with bark if I do