We have a patch in our garden, next to the pond, that is allowed to to go
completely wild.
Whatever wants to happen, let it be.
A dominant focus plant has appeared, about 4ft tall, spikey stems and some
spikes on the leaves.
http://www.ldwilmer.pwp.blueyonder.c...d%20garden.JPG
I find it very striking - will it flower? - whats its name, please?
thanks,
Lol

"Janet" wrote in message
...
In article , says...

We have a patch in our garden, next to the pond, that is allowed to to go
completely wild.
Whatever wants to happen, let it be.
A dominant focus plant has appeared, about 4ft tall, spikey stems and
some
spikes on the leaves.
http://www.ldwilmer.pwp.blueyonder.c...d%20garden.JPG
I find it very striking - will it flower? - whats its name, please?
thanks,

Teazel, a very worthy self-seeder. Put the name in google and click
"images" for a look at the purple/mauve flower. Followed by seedheads
which are beloved by goldfinches; when the birds are done with them,
flower arrangers will be grateful for the dried seedhead skeletons.

Janet.

That is marvellous news, thank you Janet.
We have lots of goldfinches twittering in the tops of the silver birch, they
don't often some down to the birdbath or sunflower hearts, but Teasel will
surely bring them.
I wonder you could also name the purple and white flowers that spray around
the teasel? I always had the name ragged robin in mind, but book checking
does not confirm that.
Very many thanks,
Lol

On May 23, 6:28*pm, "Lol" wrote:
"Janet" wrote in message

...





In article , says...

We have a patch in our garden, next to the pond, that is allowed to to go
completely wild.
Whatever wants to happen, let it be.
A dominant focus plant has appeared, about 4ft tall, spikey stems and
some
spikes on the leaves.
http://www.ldwilmer.pwp.blueyonder.c...d%20garden.JPG
I find it very striking - will it flower? - whats its name, please?
thanks,

*Teazel, a very worthy self-seeder. *Put the name in google and click
"images" for a look at the purple/mauve flower. Followed by seedheads
which are beloved by goldfinches; when the birds are done with them,
flower arrangers will be grateful for the dried seedhead skeletons.

* Janet.

That is marvellous news, thank you Janet.
We have lots of goldfinches twittering in the tops of the silver birch, they
don't often some down to the birdbath or sunflower hearts, but Teasel will
surely bring them.
I wonder you could also name the purple and white flowers that spray around
the teasel? I always had the name ragged robin in mind, but book checking
does not confirm that.
Very many thanks,
Lol- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

It's Red Campion (silene dioica), but many country people call it
Ragged robin esp where they dont have Lychnis flos-cuculi. It was
many years before I saw the later.
The old Teazle heads can be refilled for the finches by rubbing in a
mix of small seed such as millet and fat

"Lol" wrote in message
...
We have a patch in our garden, next to the pond, that is allowed to to go
completely wild.
Whatever wants to happen, let it be.
A dominant focus plant has appeared, about 4ft tall, spikey stems and some
spikes on the leaves.
http://www.ldwilmer.pwp.blueyonder.c...d%20garden.JPG
I find it very striking - will it flower? - whats its name, please?
thanks,
Lol

It's a teasel. It will have a large spiky seedhead that goldfinches love to
feed from. It does not flower in the true sense of the word.
In days gone by the teasel head used to used to comb raw sheep's wool for
spinning.
You might find this link interesting:
http://www.cvni.org/wildflowernurser...flowers/teasel

Tina

In message
, Dave
Hill writes
On May 23, 6:28*pm, "Lol" wrote:
"Janet" wrote in message

...





In article , says...

We have a patch in our garden, next to the pond, that is allowed to to go
completely wild.
Whatever wants to happen, let it be.
A dominant focus plant has appeared, about 4ft tall, spikey stems and
some
spikes on the leaves.
http://www.ldwilmer.pwp.blueyonder.c...d%20garden.JPG
I find it very striking - will it flower? - whats its name, please?
thanks,

*Teazel, a very worthy self-seeder. *Put the name in google and click
"images" for a look at the purple/mauve flower. Followed by seedheads
which are beloved by goldfinches; when the birds are done with them,
flower arrangers will be grateful for the dried seedhead skeletons.

* Janet.

That is marvellous news, thank you Janet.
We have lots of goldfinches twittering in the tops of the silver birch, they
don't often some down to the birdbath or sunflower hearts, but Teasel will
surely bring them.
I wonder you could also name the purple and white flowers that spray around
the teasel? I always had the name ragged robin in mind, but book checking
does not confirm that.
Very many thanks,
Lol- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

It's Red Campion (silene dioica), but many country people call it
Ragged robin esp where they dont have Lychnis flos-cuculi. It was
many years before I saw the later.
The old Teazle heads can be refilled for the finches by rubbing in a
mix of small seed such as millet and fat

The white flowers might be White Campion (Silene latifolia), the easiest
way of telling a white form of Silene dioica (they are said to exist)
from Silene latifolia is from the orientation of the capsule teeth.

I'll have to see if Poland gives any vegetative characters which don't
rely on using a hand lens.
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley

Eh??

How does it have seeds if it does not flower? ;-)

Presumably you mean that it has a head of very tiny flowers, in the same way that a thistle or a scabious does?

They also like lavender seeds, if there isn't any nyger around.

On Mon, 23 May 2011 19:33:06 +0100, "Christina Websell"
wrote:

In days gone by the teasel head used to used to comb raw sheep's wool for
spinning.

Being picky, I think they were actually used to raise the nap on
finished cloth - they still are, but I guess that is only the very
best cloths. The teasel heads are imported now.

Gardening on Wilts/Somerset border
on slightly alkaline clay.