"Martin Brown" wrote in message ...

On 02/07/2012 08:11, Kate Morgan wrote:
A neighbour said to me that I should get rid of the stuff growing on the
stone walls at the front of our old house. The stuff she was referring
to is Valerian, I love it and look forward to it every year. I have the
three colours and yes it seed`s freely - perhaps that is what she
meant - but it looks delightful, in my opinion :-)

kate

You do have to dead head it to prevent massive numbers of nuisance
volunteer plants springing up everywhere. It is almost as prolific a
wind borne seed generator as dandelions. I grow it deliberately to
encourage butterflies and hummingbird hawk moths in the sunshine.

It looks nice at the base of a hedge or on otherwise inhospitable spots.
It will grow almost anywhere including in the mortar of garden walls and
the strong thick roots can damage them. Arguably it is a weed because it
is so vigorous but the flowers and nectar are worth it at least in a
cottage garden. It would be a menace in a small garden.



yes indeed Martin, I do dead head it in the hope of keeping it growing
longer. It has been growing on the front of the house for many many years
and only one person has ever moaned about it, like you say Sacha if it
grows she - fussy neighbour - has to cut it down, always complaining about
our trees, anyone want to buy a house with trees and Valerian :-)


kate