Weedy bulbous plants
Diane Whitehead (Tue, 23 Nov 2010 22:09:33 PST)

I think the term "invasive" has been used too freely recently. It
suggests that a plant will invade an intact, pristine wild area.
Occasionally this happens naturally, as when birds eat the berries we
used to be advised to plant for them, and excrete the seeds as they
perch on a branch. Or the seeds of a water iris float away. However,
too many times I have seen the results of someone trundling a
wheelbarrow full of plants they have just dug out of their garden and
dumping them down the road in that patch of woods. And it's the
plants that get the blame if they don't rot down into compost, but
carry on growing.

I think a straightforward description of how plants increase would be
sufficient to promote caution. For example, "stoloniferous" always
puts me in mind of mint, morning glory and couch grass, and I would
try such a plant in a pot first to see how fast it travelled in my
conditions. Its behaviour could be radically different in two gardens
only a short distance away, as I have discovered by giving away a
piece of something that has barely survived for me for the past ten
years, and it romps madly within a few months in my friend's garden.

"Seeds freely" gives the means of control - cut the flowers - get a
reputation for generosity by giving a bouquet to each visitor.

Etc.

Diane Whitehead
Victoria, B.C.

On 23-Nov-10, at 9:20 PM, AW wrote: