Rosa banksiae ‘Lutea’ now out, ground elder too (alas!)

Lady Sandwich writes:

Another rose this week, out at the moment. Rosa banksiae ‘Lutea’, the yellow banksian rose, is an enormous climber from China introduced here in 1824. She’ll climb any large tree, clothing it in soft pale yellow spays of flowers. Named after an 18^th century Lady Banks, wife of the great botanist and explorer Sir Joseph Banks, she’s a bit tender, but less so than her cousin Rosa banksiae ‘Alba plena’. She needs no pruning as she flowers on the sublaterals (i.e. the smallest branches) and pruning would reduce next year’s flowering.

The persistent, vigorous weed ground elder (aegopodium podagraria) is spreading as usual all over the garden as if it owns it. Actually, I think we have the National Collection. Like rabbits, ground elder was introduced by the Romans (as food and medicine), and like rabbits it takes over. You can eat it, though. I have made ground elder soup and quite delicious it is with a bit of cream. It doesn’t compare with say asparagus soup but it’s good, so long as you pick young shoots before flowering. Use a recipe for nettle or spinach soup and substitute ground elder. At least you’ll feel it’s of some use and you won’t sting yourself.