Yahoo News Monty Don fans question his new garden addition
Gardening expert and TV presenter Monty Don has stirred up a bit of controversy with his latest plant selection for his garden. Some eagle-eyed viewers highlighted concerns over Monty's new choice of plant due to its 'invasive' qualities.
During an episode of BBC's Gardeners' World, Monty was broadcasting from his Longmeadow garden when he introduced the plant in question to his audience, reports Birmingham Live. He said: "I've got a few Verbena bonariensis here.
"This is a tray of seedlings, self-seeded all over the place, that I've just potted up over the last few months and now they're ready to plant out just to fill gaps around the border."
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He described the plant's appeal, saying: "It's got this tall stem topped by purple flowers that last for weeks and weeks, and go on being produced well into autumn."
He also reassured viewers about its ease of growth: "As long as it gets half a day's sunshine it will grow almost anywhere."
However, not everyone was convinced by Monty's choice. One person said: "Hmm @TheMontyDon planting verbena bonariensis on #gardenersworld even though it's being considered for addition to the invasive species list?"
Researchers from the University of Reading and the Royal Horticultural Society have compiled a shortlist of plants that require further investigation into their 'invasive potential' in Britain and Ireland.
This initiative was sparked by an online survey asking gardeners from both countries to report any ornamental plants exhibiting 'invasive behaviour' in their gardens.
Gardeners across the nation flagged 251 different plant species, including popular choices like Mexican fleabane and Himalayan honeysuckle, as possible threats to native biodiversity. This vital identification process is considered a key measure in addressing the escalating global ecological crisis.
New insights into the potential dangers posed by ornamental plants were revealed in a recent publication within the open-access journal NeoBiota, detailing how some common garden selections may become invasive.
Tomos Jones, who spearheaded the research, remarked: "The simple yet structured scheme we developed was used to prioritise which of the around 70,000 ornamental plants available to buy in the UK could be future invaders. This is crucial for focusing research efforts and resources, such as conducting formal risk assessments to explore the invasive potential of those shortlisted."
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