No matter how I plan, I can never resist encouraging self-seeders to grow and thrive. And I have many that sprout up on their own… a lot! This does interfere with better garden planning as I always make room for those fearless stubborn seedlings that insist on growing where they want. I think they know the gardener is such a sucker for free plants.
I’ve found most of these freebies pop up where it’s best for them to be. Occasionally I will move them. Dig them up early and plant them where I need or want them to be, only to have more pop up where I dug the last one out. It’s why I have some growing in the lawn.
Here’s a sampling of what has popped up in the garden or in pots this year:
salvia coccinea — I have several generations of this one that has been growing in the yard since 2014. Thank you, Austin! This comes in various colours. All white, scarlet and the one above. Purple blue behind is some kind of victoria blue — which I also have had self-seeding occasionally. the wonderful black-eyed susan… I’ve spread patches of this one because they self seed easily. This was new this year. Just a common annual garden salvia that they sell in 6 cell packs at the supermarket. It finally bloomed to let me know what it was. scented four o’clocks! Love this one. It’s salmon AND pink! I had these sprout up in pots that I had pulled into the garage. The plants in the pots died, but the seeds obviously were just fine over winter. It’s “blue” milkweed or tweedia caerulea — which is not a milkweed at all. this I had growing last year on the opposite side of the yard…. it sprouted up in a pot. I could see it wasn’t a common morning glory from the leaves. Flower is about 4-5 inches across. I have no idea how it traveled 20 feet away to sprout up where it is today. I don’t think birds eat the seeds! a regular annual selfie. They sprout up everywhere these days! These I will dig up from the lawn and place in the garden beds or pots. Asclepias currassavica I didn’t plant this one where it’s growing in the backyard. The mother is planted in the frontyard!!! common purple echinacea My pretty white echinacea that sprouted up in the lawn… okay. At the edge, so I left it... I think the cardinal and cypress vines just like the spot. I have been seeing them sprouting up on their own for the 3rd year now. You plant yarrow and it just pops up everywhere it seems…. Cuphea ignea… easiest and most reliable cuphea to find sprouting up everywhere. In pots, in the garden beds. Grows fast, blooms like crazy all summer long. This is an offspring of a batface cuphea… I think simply reverting to the many petaled as opposed to the two ear petals. This is not easy to overwinter. But they self-seed and grow quickly! sweet williams surprised me this year! I had planted them in the same planter last year. I forgot how easy portulaca can grow from seed. This pot had it growing last year. I realized there were teeny seedlings growing and nurtured them carefully. The seedlings are VERY small. this bellflower sprouted up in the center of the yard. It was transplanted earlier this spring.I can go on with more examples! But will leave it with this last:
Sunflowers!!! They are from bird seed — so they are nameless. But free!!!! :)So what sprouts up in your yard? Do you let it grow or do you tear them up like weeds?