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Plants which have appeared over the last two years and I have no idea what they are?

barbarrysmithbarbarrysmith Posts: 9
in Problem solving
Can Anyone identify the plants in these photos? For two years now they have appeared in the garden, usually in shade, in several different places. They are quite attractive so I haven't dug them up. We moved here 4 years ago and I know I haven't planted them.
Any ideas ? Weed/Feed/Dig-up?
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Posts

  • ju1i3ju1i3 Posts: 189
    bloody dock, Rumex sanguineus for the second

  • barbarrysmithbarbarrysmith Posts: 9
    Great, now I know what they are called but do I keep them. let them spread or am I better off without them? Thanks for coming back.
  • PalustrisPalustris Posts: 4,215
    Dock is a thug and a very coarse weed. Long deep tap root so not easy to remove. Any bits left in will regrow
    I think the first one is Alchmilla, but would not stake my life on it. Can be a bit of a thug, but quite easy to control.. Cut off any flowering stalks once they have finished.
  • raisingirlraisingirl Posts: 6,907
    edited May 2020
    The red veined sorrel, or bloody dock, is a nice plant. It does self seed but not prolifically (nowhere near as bad as common dock) and if you do dig it up, it's less persistent than common dock or plenty of other weeds. You can eat it. Just don't eat a lot of it. So if it was me, I wouldn't weed it out, it doesn't need feeding and I'd only dig it up if it's somewhere you don't want it to be.

    Not sure on the other one. It could be a herbaceous potentilla. Leaves aren't quite right but it may be just the photo. If it is, again, nice enough. Self seeds readily, gets a bit straggly, but not particularly thuggish and easy enough to get out if it's annoying you. Usually have pretty flowers - the most prolific self seeder one has really rich red flowers.
    It does have some close relatives that are a bit more problematic but none of them are especially scary, in the scheme of things
    “It's still magic even if you know how it's done.” 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 86,112
    edited May 2020
    We love Rumex sanguinous aka Red-veined Sorrel ... we use it a lot in salads 
    https://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/rumex-sanguineus/

    We let it grow where it will ... if crops up here anc there but not in huge numbers and is easily identifiable. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,529
    Agree about the red veined dock. Young leaves great in salads. Easil controlled by picking the leaves and removing the flowers.
    The first one looks like the leaves of Alchemilla mollis (Lady's mantle). Do rain drops sit on the leaves?
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,412
    The first is Alchemilla conjuncta, a lovely little plant. 
    https://www.ballyrobertgardens.com/products/alchemilla-conjuncta
  • barbarrysmithbarbarrysmith Posts: 9
    Thank you so much to everyone for your help, comments and advice. I'm thinking about my options. I do like the Dock as it is a striking plant but have never seen it flower?
    The alchemilla (can't say I've noticed if rain drops sit on it) is about to flower and I've spotted more clumps of it around the rockery. Obviously, need to keep it under control. I'm sure it is NOT potentilla.
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,412
    Alchemilla conjuncta is not an aggressive spreader.
  • PalustrisPalustris Posts: 4,215
    Beg to differ on that, we had it in our last garden and forgot to remove the seed heads, just once and we had dozens of them all over the rock garden. And I do mean this one, not A.mollis.
    Mind it is not as bad as A. alpina for seeding around.
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