The message
from "Mike Lyle" contains these words:

http://www.aoqs33.dsl.pipex.com/plant1.jpg

http://www.aoqs33.dsl.pipex.com/plant2.jpg

Thomas

Plant 2 is an invasive alien Purple Loosestrife. I was given it in
a
'Cottage Garden Mix' packet of seeds. Considering its causing so
much
trouble in conservation wetlands, it does amazingly well in my dry
chalky gravelly dry soil. I have it everywhere!

2.7 million seeds per plant per year aint bad going!

http://www.bruderhof.co.uk/articles/...oosestrife.htm

I'd say Plant 2 was a Michaelmas daisy: there are a few wild or
naturalized species, and I think yours is a garden variety, and very
nice too.

(I think Trevor's got the numbers swapped, as I usually do in these
circumstances.) Plant 1 might be a garden variety of Purple
Loosestrife, but I'm not at all su I'd want to see a close-up: the
leaves don't seem right, and I'm not sure about the flowering habit
we see here.

I'd say (now that I've looked at the first pic) that you're right, and
wonder if it might be a cultivated Veronica of some sort?

I don't think it is an indiginous wild plant - it's certainly not one I
recognise either from RL or from books.

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
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