Invaders we can learn to live with

Gardeners have their own tipping points when it comes to deciding when a desirable plant has become a thuggish nuisance. The RHS list, Garden Thugs: Potential Nuisance Plants includes edibles such as blackberries and raspberries – but that shouldn’t put anyone off growing them. Mint is also listed – although growing it in a pot easily contains its spreading tendencies. Many self – seeding plants are potentially invasive, but in many cases (eg viola and erigeron), their attractiveness tilts the balance away from nuisance. Gently intervening in the seeding process prevents plants from becoming a problem – for example deadheading (cutting off faded flower heads before they set seed). And, once you have learned to recognise them, just pulling up excess seedlings.

Edibles such as blackberries are included on the RHS’s list of nuisance plants