I wish I could remember plant names...

Hopefully my garden blog will help me to note down and remember plant names. I get so frustrated when I'm trying to describe a plant that I love but whose name completely escapes me. This purple leaved plant is a good example. I bought it many, many years ago in a Leeds garden centre. It's deciduous and produces big umbrella-type deep purple leaves and delicate sort of seed heads but I can't remember what it's called. It responds very well to being cut back and I'm very very fond of it; it's like one of the family. So I'll never let Phil near it with the pruners....

Ruth kindly reminded me this was a celandine - it's done really well this year. Another plant that does far too well in our pond is the awful duckweed. While we were away in California the first time it arrived and on our return the pond was a carpet of green. We scoop as much of it away as we can but never get rid entirely.

Shea is terrorising the frog population; I keep rescuing the poor little things. he doesn't hurt them just scares them into a stupor. I suppose I should be grateful he's not catching birds. ollie did until I bought him a collar with a bell. It totally cured him and after six months I took the bell off and he never caught another bird! He never caught the mice in the shed either; guess he decided the life of a hunter was not for him...

The name of the bush below also escapes me. its leaves have a lovely smell when crushed...