Another "what is this weed?" question

droopsnoot

I have been looking around my parents garden, trying to keep things tidy, and I wondered if anyone could please identify either of these plants / weeds? 
The first has grown to quite a big size, and has these buds on the top that may or may not flower at some point:

I also have quite a lot of these growing around the place:

To a trained eye, they may be the same thing but the leaves are a bit wider / less pointy on the top one. I've never really paid a lot of attention to what's in the garden, but I just don't want to start digging stuff up if it is supposed to be there. And conversely I don't want to leave a load of weeds around. I suspect the latter are weeds of some sort, as they're all over the place.
Someone let me know on another thread that there is an app for this, unfortunately my stone-age phone isn't really up for that kind of thing. I did try having a look at a few "what's my weed?" web sites, and perhaps one of them is a Cherry Laurel. But, after a short time they all start to look very similar to me.

Sara21

The first pic looks like a peony - it'll be beautiful when it flowers! 

quirkydeptless

Looks like a young one of these...

droopsnoot

Sara21 said:

The first pic looks like a peony - it'll be beautiful when it flowers! 

Thanks, I didn't want to chop it down if it's a flower, or let it all open out if it's a weed. That said, I don't fancy having to remove it at all, with the size of it. Hopefully you're right, and it's nice when it's ready.

The other things are just all over the place, in the borders, coming out between edging stones and the path, that's why I think they must be something unwanted.

theoretica

First one peony - lovely flower to look forward to.  You might want to tie it up if it flops too much.

Second is almost certainly willowherb. Not wanted in my garden, but shallow roots and fairly easy to pull up.

droopsnoot

Oh, more willowherb. I have a lot of that in the vegetable section which I've been gradually trying to dig out after I posted a different photo in another thread and someone identified it. It must have spread. Weird that it didn't seem (to me) to look quite the same, though to an extent many of these things look the same to me. 

Davesnave

droopsnoot said:

Oh, more willowherb. I have a lot of that in the vegetable section which I've been gradually trying to dig out after I posted a different photo in another thread and someone identified it. It must have spread. Weird that it didn't seem (to me) to look quite the same, though to an extent many of these things look the same to me. 

There are different species of willowherb, but that's what it is. They share one thing in common; they're a pain!

twopenny

The first, as said is a Peony. Stunningly beautiful when it becomes a large clump. Take ages to get to that stage. As cut flowers they cost a bomb. Nurture it.

Willowherb is a 'Primary Coloniser' ie any bare patch of land undisturbed. You see it as first to grow on bomb sites or derelict sites so as you can see, it's got a purpose but not in the garden.

It has an interesting history and uses - though I don't recommend you try them

https://www.whiterabbitinstituteofhealing.com/herbs/willowherb/#:~:text=History/Folklore: Willowherb is often considered a weed in,by fire, lending it the name of “fireweed.”

goldfinches

That top one is a peony and to my eye looks as though it'll be that lovely dark red one. Here's a page for you to look at to see what you'll be getting when the buds open Brooks Gardens Peonies — Nine Dark Red Peonies to Fall in Love With Once they open I expect you'll recognise it but the flowers don't last long so you may never have had the chance to notice it before now.
I agree with everyone else about the rosebay willowherb being the second photo and to warn you to hoick them out before they flower if you can because they seed prolifically and spread so easily that life can become rather difficult once that has happened.

25_Years_On

The second one isn't rosebay willowherb it's just one of the standard willowherbs (Epilobium sp.) which are much more of a pain than rosebay. I have rosebay willowherb in my garden and let it flower and even seed. While it spreads it's easily pulled up and kept under control.

droopsnoot

Thanks everyone. It does seem to have done a pretty good job of filling every available space in the various borders, I did pull some out yesterday but I suspect it will be an ongoing process as I don't have the patience or time to do it all in one go.