Fairly sure it's a Sycamore. Our allotment plot in Edinburgh was right in front of 3 Sycamore trees and I became very familiar with these wee seedling. As time went on I was less and less charmed to see them!
Very much here for the Toast aesthetic. I want to know how on earth you know what is sprouting. In the 100ft abandoned for many years catastrophe we bought last year, many things are coming up but I have no clue if they’re weeds or flowers!
I can't believe I haven't written about this yet - I had an app called 'PictureThis'. It's SO good. You take a picture of a plant and it tells you what it is. As long as whatever it is has a pair of true leaves, the app is almost always right. https://www.picturethisai.com/
Oh no, keeping everything crossed for Daisy Barn. Sometimes these things just drag on. Limbo is horrible though, and I hope you get good news soon.
I also think the seedling is either sycamore or a raspberry. In my first garden, I spent a year getting rid of a sycamore. The worst and final 6 months involved chiselling out the roots from a collapsed outside loo, every weekend.
Ok. I know you think things would be different in the country (and they would be, that’s for sure) but you have to take you with you, if that makes sense.
As my older and wiser sister says, Wherever you go, there you are.
It’s definitely a sycamore so just pull it out. They are very pretty when they first sprout but will quickly put down a big root. As close to a weed in tree form as you’re going to get. We get them all the time as the garden next door borders the playing fields and there is an enormous sycamore there. It seeds everywhere.
Jo is absolutely right about looking closer. I’ve been on my hands and knees in the front garden today and can see lots more shoots pushing through. There are also lots of almost open buds on my miniature flowering cherry.
Plenty of bare earth here in this northern outpost. It's still early even though London must be bursting into bloom, so give things time? You will probably be delightfully surprised in a week's time.
If your Cornus is really well-established I think you could cut down some stems, but I'd be cautious otherwise because they need a season or two to establish. The Battersea Park ones will probably have been there for years. I have 6 Cornus that I got last summer as 9cm pots. Three are planted in their final location, 3 heeled in for transplanting this spring once the border becomes available. I'm not going to cut them for 2 years. Anny's Winter Orange, because AGM, vigorous and one of the best for autumn foliage and winter stem colour.
Lovely! post! The Erysimum are beautiful, such wonderful colours. My cornus Midwinter Fire started as a £1.49 stick that gets fuller every year - I always wait for the leaves to just start opening before I chop it back. Looks so brutal when done but then the next winter it glows so in the meagre sun. Looking closer is a thing we do in our garden too: “what did you see out there?” game is great fun and v good for mental health. Never had a Sycamore seedling but I had a 2 mtr artichoke show up in a flowered bed one year 😂
But what is going to happen to this garden when (crossed fingers) you move to Daisy Farm? Are you going to be there when your ranunculus etc show their pretty faces? I am weirdly invested for a total stranger.
I think it may be a Sycamore leaf sprouting.
I initially thought Japanese anemone but on closer inspection more likely a Sycamore
Fairly sure it's a Sycamore. Our allotment plot in Edinburgh was right in front of 3 Sycamore trees and I became very familiar with these wee seedling. As time went on I was less and less charmed to see them!
Ah… weirdly now I feel no hesitation in pulling it out…
Very much here for the Toast aesthetic. I want to know how on earth you know what is sprouting. In the 100ft abandoned for many years catastrophe we bought last year, many things are coming up but I have no clue if they’re weeds or flowers!
I can't believe I haven't written about this yet - I had an app called 'PictureThis'. It's SO good. You take a picture of a plant and it tells you what it is. As long as whatever it is has a pair of true leaves, the app is almost always right. https://www.picturethisai.com/
Oh amazing! Off to download, thank you :)
Can you remember where the black, curvy, wire wall shelf for the blue bulbs came from? It’s just what I’ve been looking for.
Yes! I bought it in the sale at RHS Wisley last year - but they may sell them in the online shop still
Many thanks
Oh no, keeping everything crossed for Daisy Barn. Sometimes these things just drag on. Limbo is horrible though, and I hope you get good news soon.
I also think the seedling is either sycamore or a raspberry. In my first garden, I spent a year getting rid of a sycamore. The worst and final 6 months involved chiselling out the roots from a collapsed outside loo, every weekend.
Ok. I know you think things would be different in the country (and they would be, that’s for sure) but you have to take you with you, if that makes sense.
As my older and wiser sister says, Wherever you go, there you are.
The blue shelf is gorgeous. I'm sorry about all the impatient waiting they are making you do.
It’s definitely a sycamore so just pull it out. They are very pretty when they first sprout but will quickly put down a big root. As close to a weed in tree form as you’re going to get. We get them all the time as the garden next door borders the playing fields and there is an enormous sycamore there. It seeds everywhere.
Jo is absolutely right about looking closer. I’ve been on my hands and knees in the front garden today and can see lots more shoots pushing through. There are also lots of almost open buds on my miniature flowering cherry.
Plenty of bare earth here in this northern outpost. It's still early even though London must be bursting into bloom, so give things time? You will probably be delightfully surprised in a week's time.
If your Cornus is really well-established I think you could cut down some stems, but I'd be cautious otherwise because they need a season or two to establish. The Battersea Park ones will probably have been there for years. I have 6 Cornus that I got last summer as 9cm pots. Three are planted in their final location, 3 heeled in for transplanting this spring once the border becomes available. I'm not going to cut them for 2 years. Anny's Winter Orange, because AGM, vigorous and one of the best for autumn foliage and winter stem colour.
Lovely! post! The Erysimum are beautiful, such wonderful colours. My cornus Midwinter Fire started as a £1.49 stick that gets fuller every year - I always wait for the leaves to just start opening before I chop it back. Looks so brutal when done but then the next winter it glows so in the meagre sun. Looking closer is a thing we do in our garden too: “what did you see out there?” game is great fun and v good for mental health. Never had a Sycamore seedling but I had a 2 mtr artichoke show up in a flowered bed one year 😂
But what is going to happen to this garden when (crossed fingers) you move to Daisy Farm? Are you going to be there when your ranunculus etc show their pretty faces? I am weirdly invested for a total stranger.
I really like reading your substack.
The blue shelf is gorgeous, as are the wallflowers! Only one of mine has a flower so far.
Did you leave your ranunculus in the ground over winter? I’ve def sown more than 60, although I overwatered and killed at least 10 😬😬
I hope Daisy Barn isn’t pending for too long!
Are you planting Dahlias into the borders?
Regarding making a new garden - you HAVE read this? https://annewareham.substack.com/s/making-veddw-garden