I'm (almost) sure this is a weed?

dollparts

serena wrote: »

It's dog's mercury - please don't eat it, it's poisonous.

I have this on the allotment, and was pretty sure of the ID, but just googled images to check.

Thanks-I just googled dogs mecury and that's definitely what it is.

I'm very upset now-because like I said with the wildflower bed, I allowed it to grow amongst the flowers and now I have started taking it up it looks patchy and awful.

I'm really down about it because I thought I had the garden sussed for summer and now the bed at the front of the house is going to look like its been torpedoed.

I don't know what's rattled me more-the fact I have to take it all up or the surprise of how much it's actually upset me.

£$&*"($£&(

I don't think this is dogs mercury, I think it's annual mercury. Dog's mercury is a species of old woodlands and old hedgebanks. Annual mercury isa species of disturbed ground such as arable and gardens. The leaves aren't quite right for dogs mercury as they have a much finer wavy edge than those in the picture which has the typical wavy edge of annual mercury.

dollparts

grahawk wrote: »

I don't think this is dogs mercury, I think it's annual mercury. Dog's mercury is a species of old woodlands and old hedgebanks. Annual mercury isa species of disturbed ground such as arable and gardens. The leaves aren't quite right for dogs mercury as they have a much finer wavy edge than those in the picture which has the typical wavy edge of annual mercury.

Thanks-that makes sense, I disturbed everything when I moved in and dug it all over. whatever I call it, it's a flaming weed and it's ruined the look of my garden!!!! I've got a rep to protect, I'm soooooooo mad!!!

Zanderman

dollparts wrote: »

Thanks-I just googled dogs mecury and that's definitely what it is.

I'm very upset now-because like I said with the wildflower bed, I allowed it to grow amongst the flowers and now I have started taking it up it looks patchy and awful.:(

Um... Dogs Mercury IS a wildflower - so why are you upset? Not quite as pretty as the ones you might have wanted - but if you're growing wildflowers to be environmental what's wrong with an extra one?

It's only a 'weed' if you tell yourself it is. (Nearly) all weeds are wildflowers too - and are only dismissed as 'weeds' if they're a major nuisance. Annual Dog's Mercury is easy to manage (once you learn what it looks like) - it's hardly a major invasive weed. So why not just relax a bit - weed it out where it's gowing in the wrong places but leave it in your wildflower area - that's where it actually belongs....

Remember, gardens are for relaxation - not for getting upset!

dollparts

Zanderman wrote: »

Um... Dogs Mercury IS a wildflower - so why are you upset? Not quite as pretty as the ones you might have wanted - but if you're growing wildflowers to be environmental what's wrong with an extra one?

It's only a 'weed' if you tell yourself it is. (Nearly) all weeds are wildflowers too - and are only dismissed as 'weeds' if they're a major nuisance. Annual Dog's Mercury is easy to manage (once you learn what it looks like) - it's hardly a major invasive weed. So why not just relax a bit - weed it out where it's gowing in the wrong places but leave it in your wildflower area - that's where it actually belongs....

Remember, gardens are for relaxation - not for getting upset!

Thank you so much for that-It is so not offensive to look at and looks so natural amongst the wild flower. I am so glad you commented on this, I feel so much better! I am going to leave it in the wild flower bed as, despite my initial reaction to it not being something I planned on sowing-it does look good amongst the flowers.

I am sure the amount of butterflies I see in the garden after years of not seeing any is not a coincidence either.

I am soooo grateful you posted-Thank you thank you thank you!!:D:D:D

olly300

GreenFly wrote: »

The flower heads look a bit like ground elder to me but hard to confirm in the picture

Definitely not ground elder my neighbour grows it happily.