Those huge leaves by the stream need further investigation…
Fabulous if you have the space…
A little nearer now…
I’d love to kid you into thinking it’s rhubarb, but you are all far too clever! (It isn’t even related!)
As I get right up close, I can see sharp prickles, fluffy pink stem bases, and… could those green shoots be the flowers?
Gunnera manicata
(Giant Rhubarb/Mammutblatt)
An amazing herbaceous plant that comes from the southern hemisphere. These have been in this particular garden I visited for many years and have to be kept in check, along with the Bamboo and the Japanese Knotweed! (Japanische Staudenknöterich – Fallopia japonica)
Japanese Knotweed
Are there invasive species threatening your garden or local vicinity?
- Photographed at the end of August, at Cottesbrooke Hall, UK
We have the japanese one in our garden. And the Giant Rhubarb reminds me to visit the Arborethum next to Hamburg.
I hope your Japanese Knotweed doesn’t spread too much!
You are scaring me with that knotweed!
It IS scary – there were forests of it in this garden!!!
Ugh – knotweed. It’s all over the place here. We have issues with Chinese Bittersweet, too…
Had no idea Gunnera could be invasive. I’ve always wished it would grow here!
I think Gunnera is only invasive if it likes the conditions, as I have seen smaller ones in other gardens in England where it isn’t a problem. Fortunately we don’t appear to have Chinese Bittersweet here.
Beautiful pictures but I’m surprised that they would use the Japanese knotweed as people often are tempted to plant what they see in botanical gardens back in their own gardens.
I think this was one of the first UK gardens to plant Japanese Knotweed in the 19th century – before they knew how invasive it is! They are no longer allowed to plant it in the UK anyway.
The third photo is stunning. I like the colors and textures in the garden. – http://mary-goingnative.blogspot.com/
This “Wild Garden” walk is beautiful – even on a dull cloudy day! The formal gardens at this house have suffered a little from the weather in the UK this year (rain, rain and more rain!) but this wild part has thrived on it!
I love these photos! Thank you.
Glad you like the garden!
too many invasives here….o many exotic plants brought over that have escaped…it is why I am careful to plant non-invasives, more natives and get rid of invasives…all those critters are thankful…
Yes, so many here too – suppressing native species… It just shows how much responsibility gardeners hold (or should hold!).
yes I knew it was the UK as soon as I saw it…..yes..I too was amazed at the size of those leaves! very nice shots
Thanks Sharon! They are incredible – like umbrellas!
Nice stroll you took us on. So pretty. Knotweed I think is here as well not really sure I must investigate and yank it out and not keep whacking it down if it is . I love the first shot looks like my place when the Stream is not swelled lol
This stream is quite high for August – I have seen it almost dried up before, further along.
They have a big patch of Gunnera in the botanic gardens in Edinburgh – looks great right next to the pond. There’s himalayan balsam spreading by rivers and even on road verges round here, but I heard that it’s a good nectar plant for bees, so although it’s invasive maybe there is something good about it.
We have that by our canal/river too – beautiful, and attracts bees and butterflies, but suppresses other native waterside plants. I suppose there are pros and cons!
Yes, we have Japanese knotweed, bamboo that can take out foundations, and now we have another couple of vines that are destroying everything in their path. One is the “Five-mile-a-minute” vine (the name gives you some idea of what we’re up against. And the other is “Chinese evergreen” which is often confused with bittersweet around here. People mistakenly starte growing it to make autumn wreathes with…. now it is decimating our woodlands and forests. Before anyone cultivates anything I wish they could do a little research first.
This morning I came in and heard a very strange sound at my front door coming from under a thick cover of myrtle … it sounded like a cross between a cricket and a frog! I couldn’t see anything but it sure was vocal. Hope I get to see what my new friend is all about.
I’ve heard of a fast-growing vine, but not the Chinese evergreen… yet! I wonder what that sound was – do let me know if you find out! A toad perhaps?
oh to have the space to grow it ! Brambles are my biggest problem on the plot, followed by knotweed and then couch grass…..
We have brambles too… I don’t like prickly things! I don’t know couch grass, but I have an area full of ground elder – a hated weed!
My parents have a few rhubarb plants in front of the garden my grandfather used to tend in our yard. It has taken up a lot of space and every year my mom’s friend takes some and makes many yummy rhubarb dishes with it!
This one is sadly not edible… not even rhubarb botanically! Wish my edible one got this big – love rhubarb!
Oh dear, I´m so gullible
I believed you when you said it was rhubarb without thinking too much about it. We have some kind of vicia in the garden which is all around other flowers at the top of a hat. One moment you don´t see it, the next you have metres of it everywhere.
I have lots of pink vetch (vicia) in summer too… spreads like mad! This plant is actually known as “giant rhubarb”! LOL!
What a beautiful garden! For an invasive, it is striking!
In such a wide space you can get away with it! It would swamp my flower beds! LOL!