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thrift

By Thrift

West Sussex, United Kingdom Gb

Suggestions, please. I've just dug up an acanthus. I want to plant something now to replace it. I want the space to look colourful for the rest of the year while I keep a look out for new acanthus plants developing so i can dig them up. (That happened last time I tried to eradicate the acanthus.) Annuals preferred as I mean to give the garden a make-over next year. Tallish plants, as they'll be in the centre at the back of the bed. And neglect-tolerant as I'm not much of a gardener. (Not asking for much, am I?!) So far I've got in mind nicotiana or cosmos (though cosmos can be eaten overnight by our slugs and snails).




Answers

 

To be honest, its way too late for annuals - its very easy to grow them from seed,, but by the time they're ready to flower if you sowed now, it would be autumn.

You could make a trip to the garden centre and pick up some taller dahlias maybe, or perhaps they will still have some annuals such as Nicotiania available in pots.

23 Jul, 2019

 

Thanks, Bamboo. I'm off to the garden centre now. I'll look out for dahlias and nicotiana.

23 Jul, 2019

 

just got this at 7.30 as just got back from south wales. Nigella is mid height and sowings now will flower in about 4-6 weeks.
but as bamboo says unlikely to get annuals now. perhaps some gladioli or acidanthera in pots would also work and then you can either keep them and re use next year or discard. It took me 5 yrs to get rid of acanthus in one area, now working on another.

23 Jul, 2019

 

Know what you mean Seaburn! The b.. stuff pops up everywhere however much you try to dig it out, so it's not a good idea to plant anything perennial there yet.

24 Jul, 2019

 

Thanks, Seaburngirl and Honeysuckle. I bought a Helenium Mardi Gras at the garden centre, even though it's a perennial but it will tolerate being dug up and divided in autumn or spring. I've now decided on sunflowers, if I can still find the tall, single-flower sort at another garden centre. They only had bush-like sunflowers, including Brown-Eyed Girl, at yesterday's garden centre. Helenium and sunflowers will also please the insects and birds.

24 Jul, 2019

How do I say thanks?

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