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Well, I'm not sure what we'll do. The garden is really, really a mess. In fact, the garlic I took a photo of is growing in the hole of a brick! The bricks all have to come out as there is plastic underneath it that is causing severe drainage problems. I just don't think the previous owners' were planning when they planted all these things. I will think about what to do, but the one growing in the brick will probably have to be moved or removed. Ugh. If only there had been a plan and not a willy-nilly tossing of seeds.
Peppermint-----------------If the previous owners are around and healthy enough to get to your house I'm sure at least one of them would be very happy to walk you around and try to identify some plants. And please don't blame them for "scattering seeds around". Chances are they did not but with no attention everything just self sowed. If they were really gardeners they in fact knew everything in the place.
It is every gardeners nighmare to have to leave their beloved garden and the new owners don't know anything and have no appreciation for what treasures they have. I've had to do it myself and riding by the place was heartbreaking to see a beautiful collection of native azaleas gone so somebody could try to grow grass in deep shade.
The previous owners would probably be thrilled to know somebody was at least trying.
We recently moved from Atlanta to Chapel Hill, N.C. and I dug up about 85% of my 25 year old garden to bring with me. I know we spent more on Uhauls and gas than the plants were worth but I just could not leave them behind. My husband said :"They sell plants in N.C." to which I answered
"It would be like leaving the children in the back yard."
A plant crazy gardener will know what I'm talking about.
Well, the last few years were difficult for them. The bulbs did spread on their own. Some of the other plants seem willy-nilly, but there may be some rhyme to it that I don't see. I am a novice after all. One of the biggest reasons I question the method - trees growing from cut stumps. My husband cut down a near forest of trees or limbs or what-have-you growing from stumps. They were creating too much shade and inhibiting growth of some flowers. They were rather large too, indicating several years of growth. Perhaps, though, illness kept them from tending to things. I can accept that. Besides, it isn't their problem anymore. It's mine.
I can understand why it's difficult to leave your plants. They are expensive and you do care for them constantly. I think the former owners would like knowing that we've added more hostas and mints. We're going to collect the "stray" bulbs that are all over and create new beds beside the house and by the road. It will not be the same house they left, but we're trying to keep with the spirit of a country place.
This has been an interesting thread to read. Peppermint, I wish you luck with identifying all those "treasures" on your property! Sounds like you really have your work cut out for you.
Well, I'm not sure what we'll do. The garden is really, really a mess. In fact, the garlic I took a photo of is growing in the hole of a brick! The bricks all have to come out as there is plastic underneath it that is causing severe drainage problems. I just don't think the previous owners' were planning when they planted all these things. I will think about what to do, but the one growing in the brick will probably have to be moved or removed. Ugh. If only there had been a plan and not a willy-nilly tossing of seeds.
Maybe they put the plastic down to help with weed control?????
The first house I owned had an 'old lady' garden...(it was a cute, old, custom 'Leave it To Beaver' house with wooden floors, bay windows, etc., and the old folks were moving to a retirement home)......there was one of this two of that, no uniformity...... Before you move it all around, or tear a lot of it out, (except for the area where the plastic is causing havoc), try to give it a year..(prune it and feed it instead of jerking it out)...different plants bloom at different times.....you might find that your garden has color all year, which will be a plus... You will also learn what grows better in shade, what needs more water, hot sun, etc.....
In California, there are a few sizes of agapanthus, but none that grows up to 6 feet.......that was my first clue that it might be something else....
Peppermint, when my dad was alive he planted a peach that he finally had to cut down after it died. He always planted elephant garlic around the peach. Several years after his death I had inherited the house. I removed the stump and elephant garlic started coming up where the stump had been. It has been about 5 years and even though I dig them up every year I must leave a few behind because they come back. Do these look familiar. If you smell them they smell like onion or garlic. They are in the allium family.
Wurzig, perhaps they did use the plastic for weed control, but the weeds are intense! hahaha. I guess it just didn't work. Our basement floods often, which I believe is in part due to the plastic in the backyard. We have to reslope the yard and landscape, and we'll have to remove that plastic. Hopefully, it will help.
After covering the random garden look in your other ID this plant thread I won't do it all over again. BUT I had to chime in on leaving the children behind as it caused me to snort my morning coffee. LOL
That was probably the single most painful thing about leaving my last home. We'd been there well over 2 decades, and my garden had been an work of love for much of that time. I started with a heavy clay soil, tree roots and lots and lots of big rocks (this is the area that begins the New England look of rock walls from all the rocks that had to be put somewhere while they cleared land for farming). It was just getting to be all maintenance and less toil and building in the last few years. When we closed I saw the couple buying the house were just not 'outside' kind of people (they both looked like marshmallows- pasty white and fluffy) and would never be able to do the work of keeping the garden. We couldn't dig out anything to take with us as it was a minimum 12 hour trip each way to haul stuff to the new place and the new place was as the owners had gotten it from the builder; no plants, clay and rock and weeds of an old horse pasture. It hurt to think of the Mothers Day plants and my beautiful clematis covered arbor being left behind. They are either neglected , or worse, gone and grassed over. In some ways it is very much like leaving your kids, or maybe your favorite pet behind. So now I have started all over again. Thanks to Knoxgarden I have found some good places and swaps to share locally.
Well, my husband and I are pretty white and pasty, but we love being outside! We're hoping to get a few milk goats and chickens in the spring. We're going to be reworking the fencing & the barn this fall. The previous owner was so happy that we were going to start "farming". He was afraid we would bulldoze the barn and cut all the trees. I can't imagine someone doing that, but I know it happens.
In the meantime, we are renovating the house (restaining and varnishing all the doors, taking out the wallpaper and popcorn ceilings, etc.), and I'm trying to figure out what to do about the landscaping up near the house.
I really appreciate everyone's input and thoughts. I have another picture to post. Oh boy!
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I am a novice after all. One of the biggest reasons I question the method - trees growing from cut stumps. My husband cut down a near forest of trees or limbs or what-have-you growing from stumps. They were creating too much shade and inhibiting growth of some flowers. They were rather large too, indicating several years of growth. Perhaps, though, illness kept them from tending to things. I can accept that. Besides, it isn't their problem anymore. It's mine. 
LOL
So now I have started all over again. Thanks to Knoxgarden I have found some good places and swaps to share locally.
