Perennial clarkia

Hmm, I wonder if he’s using the name Clarkia ( sometimes called Godetia) for something similar.
Himalayan Balsam could be mistaken for Clarkia, but is larger.

Or pink valerian, which is a prolific self-seeder but not invasive. Annual clarkia isn’t pompon-y, never heard of perennial.

Thank you. This was a very old man in a very old house who had been a gardener. He must have been wrong. So annoyed now I did not think to take a pic.

Clarkia are very easily grown by sowing seed .
They are annual and don't spread .
They are short and the pom poms small and regularly spaced along the stem. They can be different colours .

Godetia are annual , low growing and sometimes known as poor man's orchids and are a favourite of mine . They look very different from Clarkia . They grow easily from seed,but don't spread.
I've grown both .

I grow Valerian - they've just gone over .
They have big pom poms -either pink or red ,are tall and fall over if not staked in a flower bed. They love growing in cracked paving as well .They self seed .

Himalayan Balsam is very bushy and the flowers are almost lilac, but not pom pom shaped . I think that it's on the banned list as they are so invasive . I've seen great banks of them growing alongside the River Calder .
I've grown some pinky coloured Alliums which have little pom poms .
Hard to say without a photograph .

Well I'm confused!
Just looked them up and Godetia is now known as Clarkia and has recently been redefined .
My book describes Clarkia as much taller than I recall .
Godetia looks totally different to me and is smaller.

Stop press - just went for a walk I don't usually go on and there was some more of it, no phone with me of course. I'm home now. Tomorrow will take pic and post on here.

Esmay

Well I'm confused!
Just looked them up and Godetia is now known as Clarkia and has recently been redefined .
My book describes Clarkia as much taller than I recall .
Godetia looks totally different to me and is smaller.

Yes that’s what I have recently found out. I remember as a young gardener buying both Clarkia and Goditia as different plants.
I also grow Valerian, removing the seed heads and doing a light prune keeps them flowering longer.

This is it, folks. What is it?

I'll try again later.

No, it arrived.

Not valerian. Where did pom pom come from? Looks much too short for clarkia.

It's very pretty - I like the delicate lilac colour.
I don't think it's clarkia or godetia.

I hope someone can name it for us.

Really hard to tell from your photograph -sorry .
The leaves make me think that it's a Phlox .
They open like that if rained on and pale lilac is a possibility .
If it's Phlox then it's an easy to grow perennial .

There are apps you could download that might help you. Haven’t tried one myself but have heard they are good.

This is it enlarged. The leaves are a bit phlox like but it is quite floppy and low growing.

I’m wondering if it could be a type of Campanula.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202507/medium-jo21o-img-1471.png https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202507/medium-aasdy7-img-1470.png

Different types have different leaves there are lots of varieties. Here an image of what it might be.

My plant thing on my phone suggests soapwort

Forgot to name it, Campanula Glomorata.

I agree, it looks like soapwort.

Soapwort

J52

Different types have different leaves there are lots of varieties. Here an image of what it might be.

I checked some pics of soapwort and don't think it is that. Campanula more likely but that does not seem to have the long white bits at base of petals.

Checked back more pics for long white bits and yes I think soapwort after all. 1st pic I saw misleading. People used to use it to wash clothes, leaves make lather. Thanks to all.

Glad it’s sorted! Don’t like plant mysteries 😂😄