What is this beautiful plant?

Does anybody recognise this plant which comes into beautiful flowers of white and mauve at this time of year? It is perennial and needs hardly any care.

Re: What is this beautiful plant?

Reply from Nicola

Hi John, are you having problems upload the images? Try again by replying to me. They should be jpg format and less than 4MB. Does that work? Thanks Nicola

Re: Re: What is this beautiful plant?

Reply from Nicola

John's plant - does this image upload?

Click image to enlarge

Re: Re: Re: What is this beautiful plant?

Reply from ELAINE HUTSON

It is an accanthus, mollis I believe.

Re: Re: Re: Re: What is this beautiful plant?

Reply from Nicola

Thanks Elaine! Hi John, here is Acanthus mollis in Shoot. Cheers Nicola

Thanks

Reply from John

My thanks to Elaine for her quick reply on the Acanthus. In fact we have several of these plants throughout the garden and in about a week's time they will all be out in full flower. They are a wonderful sight and their big leaves keep down the weeds around them!

Here's another one. Anyone any idea what this tree is? We have a "small" one - circa 4 metres tall in the garden. I have seen them as large as a large English Oak?

Thanks.

Click image to enlarge

Re: Thanks

Reply from Carol

Is it Catalpa bignonioides?

Re: Re: Thanks

Reply from John

thanks Carol, certainly Catalpa, whether speciosa or bignonoides I am not sure, will have to investigate further. Thanks again

John

Re: Re: Thanks

Reply from ELAINE HUTSON

Carol is right, it is catalpa bignonioides 'Aurea'

Re: What is this beautiful plant?

Reply from Phil Nich

Acanthus Mollis - Has the common name of Bear's Breeches