also known as: Himalayan balsam, Indian balsam, jumping jack, policeman's helmet
When we moved into The Drock in September last year, the garden was full of this large pink flowering plant, but no-one could tell me what it was. I did search the gardening books and internet but came up with a blank.
This month it has started to come up in the area I have named The Allotment, for obvious reason. I thought I'd let it grow until I could identify it. The lovely people of the Facebook page I follow did just that with this photo.
They and other websites tell me it is a huge invasive weed, up there with the Japanese knotweed. Argh!!!!! so I guess the first job will be to start pulling it out before it flowers again. I don't think it will be a weed I ever get rid of because of the position of where we live. I also thought it was quite a pretty plant if not a bit leggy, so I may let it grow around The Drock.