Can someone tell me what this is please ..

Renata Boyle

Can anyone tell me what this plant is, I don't even remember when this plant suddenly appeared or why I didn't notice it earlier, does it only appear in the Spring/summer?

Any advice on how best to look after it regards watering, feeding and cutting back would be very much appreciated.

 

turmeric

I'd like to know what that is too.  The flowers, especially the one in the bottom left of the photo, look like aquilegia but the leaves have a touch of the begonia about them so I'm at a loss.  Do you have any more pictures?

Fairygirl

The plant with the purple foliage is a Sedum (iceplant) Renata - they don't need much looking after but they like a bit of sun and good drainage. The flowers are great for bees. They'll die back in winter but new foliage emerges quite early on. I give mine a feed in spring and nothing else. They're happy enough in pots too. 

PS that one's probably getting a bit crowded out by the columbine next to it so you might want to move it . They're also very easy to propagate - pull a piece of with a bit of root attached and stick it in a pot of gritty compost.

turmeric

Ahhh. Sedum with aquilegia growing through it, that old trick!  I thought it was an aquilegia I'd never seen before but it all makes sense now. 

Renata Boyle

lol I LOVE this place .... so many gardening brains in one place .... thank you for the ID and advice .... yes there is an aquilegia going berserk next to it (falling over rather) that I am going to cut back soon, not sure what the 'Columbine' is, is it whatever is showing in the bottom right of the picture with the green leaves?

I had a lady from a nursery plant up this raised bed and she was going to give me all the names and a plan for what she put in but didn't so I am constantly suprised at things appearing and disappearing lol but thanks to this site am now learning as I go.

Do you think if I offered free bed & board (plus sky tv) to someone in the forums I could tempt them to move in and be my personal plant advisor

Many many thanks as always ...... will now go take photo's of some new roses I have no idea what to do with .....

 

nutcutlet

Columbine is what some people call aquilegia

see also Granny's bonnets

turmeric

Columbines are aquilegia.  I think the columbine name derives from columbine being latin for dove.  If you look at the flowers from the side with their heads facing downwards they can look like doves. Hope that helps. 

Fairygirl

Sorry Renata - I had to go to work just after that post earlier! I should have said Aquilegia as well as columbine. It was the first name that came into my head -  I always tend to call them that. Just as well the others came along to qualify it  

Renata Boyle

ahhh thank you .... yes will be doing a bit of clearing up around the sedum, the aquilegia has all fallen over now .... bit scared of cutting anything back, not used to doing it, do I just cut it back down to the soil or leave some stem showing?

Seems such a shame though, the flowers are still attracting bees even though they are horizontal ... do you think I should wait a bit? eeek, I dunno what to do for the best, bought some nice secatur thingies at the Yorkshire flower show but haven't used them yet, so scared of doing the wrong thing!

 

nutcutlet

You won't do it any harm. If you cut it right back you'll get new leaves (but no seeds)