Home owners guide to weeding: Kingston, Surbiton, Richmond, Twickenham and Esher

Dandelions, weeds

Gardens across Kingston, Surbiton, Richmond, Twickenham and Esher are wonderful places to live and grow plants. They are also wonderful places for weeds, thanks to our damp Thames-side microclimate, rich clay soil and an enthusiastic local seed bank that predates most of the houses.

At Flourish Landscaping, we have decades of plant identification training, formal horticultural qualifications and NPTC certification for professional weed control. We work in hundreds of gardens across this whole stretch of South West London, so we know the weeds you are likely to meet, the ones pretending to be plants, the ones that bite back and the ones that behave like they own the place.

This guide will help you identify and understand the weeds in your garden, and work out the best way to manage them.

What this guide covers

This guide is designed to help homeowners across Kingston, Surbiton, Richmond, Twickenham and Esher:

• recognise common local weeds

• identify weeds that masquerade as garden plants

• understand which weeds are annual, biennial or perennial

• spot invasive or persistent species early

• know the best time to remove each weed

• understand how our local clay soil affects weed growth

• recognise weeds commonly spread from Ham Lands, Richmond Park and the Thames corridor

We cover identification, behaviour, removal and prevention, all tailored to South West London gardens.

How to identify weeds in South West London gardens

Local weeds follow patterns. Once you know how to interpret their growth habits, you can identify almost anything:

• leaf shape

• growth form

• spread method (runners, rhizomes, bulbs, seed)

• where it grows (shade, paving cracks, woodland edges, lawns)

• scent (especially garlic weeds)

• timing (spring ephemerals, summer creepers, winter germinators)

This guide highlights exactly what to look for.

Common annoying weeds

• Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

Deep taproot and floating seed heads that drift in from three gardens away.

Fun fact: Entirely edible, though nobody ever really wants to.

• Hairy bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta)

Tiny, fast and fond of pots and paving.

Fun fact: The seed pods explode like tiny catapults.

• Creeping buttercup (Ranunculus repens)

Thrives in damp clay soil, especially near the Thames and Hogsmill.

Fun fact: Releases natural toxins that discourage competition.

• Oxalis (Oxalis corniculata)

Small, clover-like and determined.

Fun fact: Fires its seeds at impressive speed.

• Chickweed (Stellaria media)

Grows throughout winter while you are inside with the heating on.

Fun fact: Germinates at two degrees.

• Couch grass (Elymus repens)

Long white runners that invade everything.

Fun fact: Even the tiniest root fragment will regrow.

Weeds in disguise as plants

• Lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis)

Genuine ornamental, but in Kingston and Richmond it self-seeds with enthusiasm.

Fun fact: Medieval alchemists used its dew in potions.

• Herb robert (Geranium robertianum)

Looks like a dainty geranium seedling, smells like fox.

Fun fact: Can grow in as little as three millimetres of soil.

• Green alkanet (Pentaglottis sempervirens)

Pretty blue flowers, bold glossy leaves, deep stubborn roots.

Fun fact: Once used as a dye that stained everything.

• Creeping cinquefoil (Potentilla reptans)

Strawberry-like foliage, yellow flowers and Olympic-level stamina.

Fun fact: Survives mowing as if it enjoys it.

• Wood avens (Geum urbanum)

Looks like a cultivated geum. It is not.

Fun fact: Its burrs inspired Velcro.

• Enchanter’s nightshade (Circaea lutetiana)

Shade-loving, deceptive and clingy.

Fun fact: Named after the enchantress Circe.

• Nipplewort (Lapsana communis)

Soft leaves, fast grower, awkward name.

Fun fact: Named because the buds resemble nipples.

• Wild garlic, ramsons (Allium ursinum)

Wonderful in woodlands, chaos in gardens. Spreads by bulbs and seed.

Fun fact: One leaf can scent the whole border.

• Three-cornered leek (Allium triquetrum)

Slender white bells and triangular stems.

Fun fact: Roll the stem and you will feel the triangle.

• Garlic mustard, jack-by-the-hedge (Alliaria petiolata)

Biennial that spreads along woodland edges.

Fun fact: Smells like garlic and mustard when crushed.

Bloody nuisance weeds

• Ground elder (Aegopodium podagraria)

Spreads via brittle white rhizomes that regenerate easily.

Fun fact: Introduced by monks as a vegetable.

• Bindweed (Calystegia sepium)

Twines, climbs and strangles plants across Kingston, Surbiton and Twickenham.

Fun fact: Roots can reach five metres deep.

A note on bindweed vs convolvulus:

Gardeners often say “convolvulus”, but the invasive climber in your garden is usually Calystegia, not Convolvulus. Convolvulus cneorum is the ornamental silver shrub. Calystegia sepium is the thug.

• Creeping thistle (Cirsium arvense)

Prickly, persistent, spreads sideways under lawns.

Fun fact: One plant can colonise metres in a season.

• Butterbur (Petasites hybridus)

Dinner-plate leaves, thick rhizomes, loves damp shady Petersham and Kingston gardens.

Fun fact: Leaves were once used to wrap butter.

Everything else conspiring against you

Wood avens, cinquefoil, oxalis, herb robert, nipplewort.

Individually irritating, collectively unstoppable.

In our Kingston and Surbiton gardens, these are the weeds homeowners ask us about most. Many require repeated removal or professional treatment, especially in clay soils.

Common lawn weeds

• Daisy (Bellis perennis)

• White clover (Trifolium repens)

• Plantain (Plantago spp.)

• Speedwell (Veronica spp.)

• Creeping cinquefoil (Potentilla reptans)

• Selfheal (Prunella vulgaris)

Fun fact: Medieval herbalists believed selfheal cured everything.

Why lawn weeds appear in clay soil

Most lawns in South West London sit on compacted clay. This encourages daisies, plantain, white clover and creeping cinquefoil. Improving drainage, aeration and soil structure reduces recurring weeds.

Hard surface weeds

These thrive in paving cracks, walls and gravel:

• Herb robert (Geranium robertianum)

• Willowherb (Epilobium spp.)

• Groundsel (Senecio vulgaris)

• Oxalis (Oxalis corniculata)

• Pellitory-of-the-wall (Parietaria judaica)

• Buddleia seedlings (Buddleja davidii)

Rare local and indigenous weeds

South West London gardens receive seeds drifting from the Thames corridor, Hogsmill Valley, Richmond Park and the woodland edges around Petersham, Ham and Esher.

• Wild garlic (Allium ursinum)

Thrives in cool woodland soil.

• Three-cornered leek (Allium triquetrum)

Common along the Thames towpath.

• Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata)

Biennial, common in Ham Lands.

• Small balsam (Impatiens parviflora)

Polite cousin of Himalayan balsam.

• Broad-leaved willowherb (Epilobium montanum)

Carried on the wind from Richmond Park.

• Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara)

Flowers before leaves.

• Hedge parsley (Torilis japonica)

Clingy seeds.

• Variegated yellow archangel (Lamiastrum galeobdolon ssp. argentatum)

Ornamental escapee.

• Ivy-leaved speedwell (Veronica hederifolia)

Found in compacted clay lawns.

• Wavy bittercress (Cardamine flexuosa)

Shade-loving.

• Horsetail (Equisetum arvense)

Ancient and stubborn.

• Trailing St John’s wort (Hypericum humifusum)

Low-growing.

• Jointed goatgrass (Aegilops cylindrica)

Occasional local visitor.

Ham Lands specials

Ham Lands is one of the richest wildlife corridors in South West London. Its mix of meadow, wet woodland, gravel terraces and sandy soils means it sends unusual plants into gardens around Ham, Petersham and North Kingston.

• Water chickweed (Myosoton aquaticum)

• Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica)

• Cleavers (Galium aparine)

• Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris)

• Cow parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris)

• Wood dock (Rumex sanguineus)

• Red campion (Silene dioica)

• Giant horsetail (Equisetum telmateia)

• Pendulous sedge (Carex pendula)

• Great willowherb (Epilobium hirsutum)

Seeds move easily into nearby gardens through wind, pets, shoes and birds.

When to weed

• Dandelion: after rain

• Hairy bittercress: immediately

• Oxalis: autumn

• Chickweed: late winter

• Buttercup: spring

• Willowherb: early summer

• Ground elder: early spring

• Bindweed: late spring

• Nipplewort: before flowering

• Thistle: spring or midsummer

Damp soil helps roots release cleanly. Dry soil practically guarantees breakage.

Preventing weeds in clay soil

Clay holds moisture, which helps perennial weeds regrow. Mulching and improving soil structure reduces future seedlings.

A word about weedkillers

We prefer non-chemical methods, but sometimes professional treatment is needed, especially for:

• Bindweed

• Ground elder

• Creeping thistle

• Persistent hard-surface weeds

• Japanese knotweed

Flourish Landscaping is fully NPTC qualified to treat these safely. We use targeted, minimal application only when necessary.

Frequently asked questions

• Do weeds mean my soil is bad?

Not always. They diagnose soil conditions.

• Why do weeds grow faster than my plants?

Weeds evolved for speed.

• Why do weeds return after pulling?

Perennials regrow from fragments. Annuals return from the soil seed bank.

• Why do weeds grow in cracks?

Seeds collect everywhere.

• Are weeds worse along the Thames and Hogsmill?

Yes. Conditions are ideal for rapid growth.

• Should I compost weeds?

Annual weeds yes. Deep-rooted perennials no.

• How do I identify a weed if I am not sure?

Take a clear photo of the leaves and where it is growing. We identify weeds for Kingston and Surbiton homeowners every week.

Need help?

Flourish Landscaping works across Kingston, Surbiton, Richmond, Twickenham and Esher, helping homeowners keep their gardens healthy and manageable. If you are dealing with a weed you cannot identify or a weed that keeps returning, get in touch and we will help.

Contact us

Terminology

Annual: completes life cycle in one year.

Biennial: takes two years.

Perennial: lives for many years.

Cultivated: intentionally grown.

Rhizome: underground stem.

Stolon: runner above or below ground.

Taproot: deep central root.

Seed bank: dormant seeds in soil.

Native: naturally occurs in Britain.

Non-native: introduced by people.

Invasive: spreads aggressively and causes harm.

Self-seeder: drops seed freely.

Volunteer plant: grew on its own.

Herbaceous: soft stems that die back.

Woody perennial: permanent woody stems.

Rosette: circular leaf base.

Sucker: shoot from roots.

Dormancy: plant or seed resting phase.

Hard-surface weeds: grow in paving and walls.

Woodland-edge weeds: thrive in partial shade.