Weeds
Annual meadow grass
(Poa annua) Annual meadow grass is a common weed of lawns, beds, borders and containers. It sets a lot of seeds each year and so spreads readily around the garden.What is annual meadow grass?Annual meadow grass is, as its name suggests, an annual grass. It sets a lot of seeds each year and so spreads readily around the garden.
These seeds ...
Annual mercury
(Mercurialis annua) Annual mercury is a common weed throughout the garden, but particularly wherever soil is disturbed or cultivated. It sets lots of seeds each year and spreads readily.What is annual mercury?Annual mercury is, as its name suggests, an annual weed. It sets a lot of seeds each year and so spreads readily around the garden.
These ...
Annual weeds
(Numerous species) Annual weeds are easy to deal with, especially if controlled as seedlings or young plants. Then, they don’t get out of control and become a time-consuming problem.What are annual weeds?Annuals are plants that germinate from seed, grow, flower and set seed, so completing their lifecycle, within one year. Some, such as hairy ...
Bamboos
(Various species) Bamboos are highly attractive ornamental plants. But some produce thick creeping roots that can get out of control and grow where you don’t want them to.What are bamboos?Bamboos are highly desirable, attractive ornamental plants that bring a touch of the exotic to our gardens. But some species are incredibly vigorous and ...
Bindweed or bellbind
(Calystegia sepium and Convolvulus arvensis) Bindweed or bellbind is a creeping, perennial weed that can smother and kill young and low-growing plants and twines around and chokes other plants.What is bindweed?There are two species of bindweed – field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis) and the larger hedge bindweed or bellbind (Calystegia ...
Charlock
(Sinapis arvensis) Charlock, sometimes called wild mustard, is a common weed throughout the garden. It is an annual and sets lots of seeds each year and spreads readily.What is charlock?Charlock is an annual weed, although it may remain over winter to flower the following year. It sets a lot of seeds each year and so spreads readily around the ...
Chickweed
(Stellaria media) Chickweed is a very common annual weed that appears throughout the garden. It spreads readily and sets lots of seeds each year and can become a real nuisance.What is chickweed?Chickweed is a very common annual weed, appearing in both cultivated and uncultivated bare soil. It prefers a rich soil, so can be used as an indicator of ...
Cleavers or goosegrass
(Galium aparine) Cleavers, or goosegrass, is a very common annual weed that appears throughout the garden. It spreads rapidly, sets lots of seeds, and can become a real nuisance.What are cleavers, goosegrass?Cleavers – sometimes called goosegrass or referred to by its other colloquial names, sticky willy, stickyweed or sticky willow – ...
Clovers
(Trifolium, Lotus corniculatus, Medicago) There are several clovers that are regarded as garden weeds. While they can grow anywhere in the garden, most become a real problem when growing in the lawn.What are clovers?There are several clovers that are regarded as garden weeds. These include white clover (Trifolium repens), red clover (Trifolium ...
Common purslane
(Portulaca oleracea) Common purslane is a common annual weed that appears throughout the garden. It spreads readily, sets lots of seeds each year, and can quickly become a nuisance.What is common purslane?Common purslane is a very common annual weed, appearing in both cultivated and uncultivated bare soil.
Plants can rapidly spread across the soil ...
Couch grass
(Elymus repens) Couch grass, or twitch or scutch, is a creeping, perennial grass that, because of its rapid spreading tendency, can become a serious weed problem in the garden.What is couch grass?Couch grass is a vigorous, spreading perennial grass, which becomes a serious weed problem wherever it colonises. Once it gets a hold in your garden, it ...
Creeping buttercup
(Ranunculus repens) Creeping buttercup, as its name suggests, is a perennial weed that can spread over large distances, making it difficult to control once it takes over your garden.What is creeping buttercup?Some buttercups are very attractive wildflowers, and there are even cultivated varieties that are grown for their ornamental and attractive ...
Creeping thistle
(Cirsium arvense) Creeping thistle, as its name suggests, is a perennial weed with roots that quickly spread over large distances, making it very difficult to control and eradicate.What is creeping thistle?Creeping thistle is one of many different types of thistles, which is characterised by its creeping lateral roots that grow horizontally. It is ...
Daisy, common daisy
(Bellis perennis) Daisies, or common daisies, are perennial plants regarded as weeds when they take over the garden. They are usually more of a problem when growing in the lawn.What are Daisies?The daisy family (Asteraceae or Compositae as it used to be named) is a huge family of flowering plants, including artichokes, Calendula (pot marigold), ...
Dandelion
(Taraxacum officinale) Dandelion “clocks” evoke memories of childhood, but in the garden those annoying seeds land everywhere, producing lots of dandelion plants that colonise large areas.What are dandelions?Dandelions are perennial plants that overwinter and survive from year to year thanks to their long taproot, which stores food ...
Fat hen
(Chenopodium album) Fat hen is a common annual weed that appears throughout the garden. It spreads readily, each plant producing thousands of seeds, and quickly becomes a nuisance.What is fat hen?Fat hen, sometimes called white goosefoot, is a very common annual weed, appearing in both cultivated and uncultivated bare soil.
Plants grow quickly, ...
Field pennycress
(Thlaspi arvense) Field pennycress is a common annual weed that appears throughout the garden. It spreads readily, each plant producing numerous seeds, and quickly becomes a nuisance.What is field pennycress?Field pennycress is a very common annual weed, appearing in both cultivated and uncultivated bare soil throughout the garden.
Plants grow ...
Ground elder
(Aegopodium podagraria)
Ground elder is a creeping, perennial weed that can be difficult and time consuming to control once it takes over your garden. Deal with it as soon as you see it.What is ground elder?Ground elder is a pernicious, fast spreading, perennial weed, which can soon colonise and take over large areas of the garden.
Although new ...
Groundsel
(Senecio vulgaris) Groundsel is a common annual weed that appears throughout the garden. It spreads readily, each plant producing numerous seeds, and quickly becomes a nuisance.What is groundsel?Groundsel is a very common annual weed, appearing in both cultivated and uncultivated bare soil.
Plants grow quickly, and each one produces up to a ...
Hairy bittercress
(Cardamine hirsuta) Hairy bittercress is a very common annual weed that appears throughout the garden. It spreads readily, each plant producing numerous seeds,and quickly becomes a nuisance.What is hairy bittercress?Hairy bittercress is a very common annual weed, appearing in both cultivated and uncultivated bare soil. It regularly grows in ...
Henbit deadnettle
(Lamium amplexicaule) Henbit, or henbit dead nettle, is a common annual weed that appears throughout the garden. It spreads rapidly and can quickly become a nuisance in beds and borders.What is henbit deadnettle?Henbit, or henbit deadnettle, is a very common annual weed, appearing in both cultivated and uncultivated bare soil.
The plants grow ...
Horsetail, mare’s tail
(Equisetum arvense) Horsetail, or mare’s tail, is a very invasive, deep-rooted perennial weed that quickly spreads to produce dense areas of growth. Deal with it as soon as you see it.What is horsetail?Horsetail, or mare’s tail, is a prehistoric, pernicious, spreading, perennial weed that can quickly colonise and take over large areas ...
Japanese knotweed
(Fallopiajaponica) Japanese knotweed is a noxious, invasive, deep-rooted perennial weed that quickly spreads to produce dense areas of growth. Its roots can grow through concrete!What is Japanese knotweed?Japanese knotweed is a strong, fast growing, clump-forming perennial. It was originally introduced into the UK as an ornamental plant, thanks to ...
Lawn weeds
(Numerous species) Weeds in the lawn spoil its overall appearance, especially when they start to flower. If you want your lawn to be weed free, then you’d better get rid of them quickly.What are lawn weeds?As any plant “growing in the wrong place” is regarded as a weed, then any non-grass plants that grow in your lawn can be ...
Lesser celandine
(Ranunculus ficaria) Lesser celandine looks attractive when in flower in spring. But it can quickly colonise large areas of the garden, thanks to the numerous small tubers it produces.What is lesser celandine?Some celandines are very attractive wildflowers, and there are even cultivated varieties that are grown for their ornamental and attractive ...
Mind-your-own-business
(Soleiroliasoleirolii) Mind-your-own-business is grown as a houseplant, but outdoors it can easily get out of control and become a troublesome weed – especially when growing in the lawn.What is mind-your-own-business?Mind-your-own-business is also sometimes commonly called baby’s tears – although it’s more than babies that ...
Mosses
(Numerous species) Mosses are found in many places in the garden, but it’s in the lawn that they are mainly regarded as a problem, spoiling its appearance and reducing grass growth.What is moss?Although not strictly a weed, mosses are usually regarded as being a “weedy problem”, wherever they grow. But it’s mainly in the ...
Nettles
(Urtica dioica) Nettles, or stinging nettles, are usually regarded as weeds when found in the garden. Their creeping roots can make them difficult to control. But they do have their uses!What are nettles?Nettles, stinging nettles or common nettles, are tough, perennial plants that grow in a wide range of soil and weather conditions. They quickly ...
Oxalis, wood sorrel
(Oxalis corniculata, Oxalis debilis and Oxalis latifolia) Several species of oxalis are attractive garden plants. But there are some species that can become difficult weeds to deal with, if they are left to grow out of control.What is oxalis – sorrel?There are several species of oxalis that are attractive garden and indoor plants. But ...
Plantains
(Plantago species) Plantains are perennial weeds that will grow in most parts of the garden, although they are usually more of a problem when they become established in the lawnWhat are plantains?Plantains are perennial weeds that grow in just about any part of the garden. They usually become more of a problem when they establish in the lawn ...
Scarlet pimpernel
(Anagallis arvensis) Scarlet pimpernel is an annual wildflower that has spreading stems that grow profusely all over the garden at which point it is regarded as a weed.What is scarlet pimpernel?No, not the chivalrous Englishman, Sir Percy Blakeney, in the novel by Baroness Orczy, but the annual wildflower! Scarlet pimpernel produces attractive ...
Self-sown ornamental seedlings
(Numerous species) Many ornamental flowering plants will self-seed if their seed heads are left in place after flowering. As this results in lots of young plants, they may be regarded as “weeds”.What are self-sown seedlings?Many annual and perennial ornamental and bedding plants have the very obliging habit of self-seeding if their seed ...
Shepherd’s purse
(Capsella bursa-pastoris) Shepherd’s purse is a fast growing weed that produces huge numbers of seeds and seedlings, which can quickly colonise large areas of the garden.What is shepherd’s purse?Shepherd’s purse is a fast growing, prolific annual or biennial weed that can either quickly grow, flower and set seeds in a matter of ...
Sow thistles
(Sonchus species) Sow thistles are annual and perennial weeds that grow just about everywhere in the garden. They produce lots of seeds and quickly spread to become a problem.What are sow thistles?Several species of sow thistles – sometimes written as sow-thistle or sowthistle – are common garden weeds. They grow just about everywhere ...
Speedwells
(Veronica species) Although speedwells’ blue flowers look attractive, these creeping perennial weeds can spread significantly and can smother other plants and takeover the garden.What are speedwells?Some Veronica species are highly attractive ornamental plants. And although the weedy species, commonly called speedwells, produce lots of pretty ...
Tree stumps
When trees die in the garden or have to be taken down for other reasons, you should always remove the resulting stump. Otherwise this can cause other problems.What are tree stumps?When a tree dies or has to be taken down for other reasons, the temptation is to cut it down close to ground level and then leave the resulting tree stump and its roots ...
Wild garlic
(Allium ursinum) Wild garlic is a very attractive wildflower, which looks lovely in woodlands. However, in the garden it can be a difficult weed to control, if it grows where you don’t want it.What is wild garlic?Wild garlic is a very attractive wildflower, which looks lovely in its natural woodland habitat. However, in the garden it can ...
Yarrow
(Achillea millefolium) Cultivated varieties of achillea are attractive, ornamental plants. However, wild yarrow is a problematical weed – especially when it gets into the lawn.What is yarrow?Cultivated varieties of achillea are attractive, ornamental herbaceous perennials, which will brighten up borders for many months. However, wild ...