Favorite Surprises in the Garden

Okay---here's a new topic. Do you have any favorite surprises in the garden? Something that showed up, even though you didn't plant it? Perhaps it was carried by a bird from someone else's garden and deposited in yours? Something of yours that self sowed when you didn't expect it to? Something that came back a second year even though it wasn't supposed to? A "weed" to others, but something you've kept and cultivated because you love it? Pumpkins that grew from the compost pile?

This has been my latest fascination. I pause before pulling anything I think is a weed. Here are a couple of things I'm glad I didn't pull that have been pleasant surprises for me. The first picture is a hollyhock. I came so close to pulling this last year when it started growing....but I had a sense it wasn't a normal weed in my yard. (Having never grown hollyhocks before, the foliage didn't stand out to me as being that, so I didn't know what it was until it started to grow vertically this year.) I'm glad I left it, and I wonder where it came from. As far as I know, there aren't wild weed growing hollyhocks (perhaps there are and I don't know it?), so it probably came from one of my neighbor's yards... Anyway, I love it, and I'm glad I didn't pull it. It's just starting to bloom.

Here is another----the classic thing that happens, and now I'm hooked on these---because I LOVE how they have "jumped up" in other areas of my yard. I had these Johnny jump-ups growing in baskets at the tallest eave of my garage all winter long. And now they are jumping up in some of my perennial beds. I'm pausing now before pulling "weeds".....they might be some free plants instead!

There are native mallows - here's an Oregonian one: http://www.google.com/search?q=sidalcea+malviflora&hl=en&biw=570&bih=558&prmd=ivns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=VAYFTpLCOYfQsAOQlrG9DQ&sqi=2&ved=0CCAQsAQ

On the other hand, it could be a cultivated one from the neighbors. No matter what, though, I think you made a good call in not pulling it!

Katie59, you are so knowledgeable---I am awe-struck. You are right, and so helpful. Definitely not a hollyhock, but a native mallow upon researching. Sidalcea malviflora---I'm so thrilled by this. It makes it more special---mainly, because I haven't ever noticed any of these in my area fields/ditches, etc, so they aren't growing all that crazy around here.......so now I'm going to keep my eye out. It is so pretty, I think I'll try and save some seeds and get more of these in my yard! There are many cultivated, named varieties out there also----so could be from a neighbor, but now I'm doubting it. I hope it blooms for at least a few weeks.

Aw, shucks. Thanks. Sometimes I hit. Sometimes I miss (though I prefer not to focus on those :-))

I always think it auspicious to have a native volunteer and to have recognized it as special. There are so many natives out there that tolerate our climate and look spectacular in the garden.

I'm integrating more and more natives with the other must haves that I like. At least I know I'm less likely to lose them to a hard winter!