In article , Duncan
writes

"Kay" wrote in message
...
snip.....
Much more of a problem is Alchemilla mollis, which
seeds everywhere and is very difficult to uproot.


And to think that I've lovingly tended a clump of this for 2 years, weeding
it, pricking out the wee offsets, picking out the dried dead leaves....
It looks fantastic with dew on it.

I would love it if I could just have a clump of it, or even a dozen
clumps ...

I am trying to keep it down to one 6ft patch bordering one of the ponds,
and another 4 ft patch surrounding a grey dwarf willow.

A bad weed in my garden is something I've not identified with flowers
resembling forget-me-not, leaves big and rough (spiky enough to be scratchy
rather than prickly) with pale splotches. The whole plant grows about 3 ft
high if left to do so. Seems perennial, plus seeds all over the place.
Anyone know what it is?

Green alkanet, Pentaglottis sempervirens?

Forget-me-not family, like the other suggestions of Brunnera and Borage.
Borage flowers are easily recognisable from the pointed 'spire' in the
middle, right size, but I think its annual rather than perennial.
Brunnera is less thuggish/coarse in appearance, and not likely to be
here unless someone planted it in the past. Your description matches
Green alkanet perfectly. It's a garden escape, (I don't think it's a
native) so you come across it in all sorts of places.

See:
http://tinyurl.co.uk/69v1
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"