Plant or weed? Opinions please!

Very pretty

It looks like periwinkle (vinca) to me, but it’s hard to see the flowers from your photo.

Does this help at all? Thanks for the speedy responses!

It looks a bit like a wild sage flower. If you pinch a leaf does it have a scent?

I think it’s sage I ll try and look it up but that would be my guess

It’s a wild flower called self heal according to my plant identifier apparently brilliant for bees etc and belongs to the mint family

Purple self heal a perennial meadow plant (prunella) that’s what its called in my little book on wild flowers and grasses.

Looks like Ajuga to me. It often appears as a weed in grass, or a taller version can be grown in borders as ground cover.

No there is no scent at all - it has sprouted up in a tiny neglected bit of the border. Haven't noticed it before but it looks as though it will be a creeper as the spread is very low to the ground. I know nothing though

Prunella vulgaris.
If you like it-it is a plant.
If you dont- it is a weed.

I think it’s ajuga, which has pretty flowers but is terribly invasive. A real thug which will kill neighbouring plants. Get rid of it including every last bit of root, as soon as the flowers (loved by bees) have died.

BlueBelle

It’s a wild flower called self heal according to my plant identifier apparently brilliant for bees etc and belongs to the mint family

Agree, was looking this up yesterday - it is all over my lawn

Ah thank you all so much! I will read up about these various suggestions. I do like it and it would be useful to fill some gaps as it's a colour I love. It's mostly in shade at the moment but I'll divide it and see how it does in the sunshine. I'll call it a plant rather than a weed
It's been so long since I was able to get out in the garden so I've loved exploring today! I've made a list of things I'd like my husband to move, divide or remove completely but it will take him a while.

Prunella vulgaris - Self heal.

I think it's definitely Self Heal. Thank you all for the suggestions. We've decided to leave it where it is as the bees certainly do seem to love it. We will reassess at the end of Summer to decide whether to put some elsewhere. I'll read up a bit more first.

I’d have said ajuga too. Not called repans for nothing - creeps everywhere as others have said.

Many people call these weeds some call them wild flowers sone pay a lot of money to have something similar sent by post Don’t sniff too loudly at what nature has given you
Xx

Isn’t a weed just a flower growing in the wrong place?

Gradually creeping along it has invaded my lawn.

BlueBelle

Many people call these weeds some call them wild flowers sone pay a lot of money to have something similar sent by post Don’t sniff too loudly at what nature has given you
Xx

I have those purple spikes in my garden this year. Apparently it is toadflax, growing as a weed, but I like it so will leave it.

www.rhs.org.uk/plants/13944/prunella-vulgaris/details
Self-heal or Heal-all

Toadflax is beautiful Shysal

Self Heal is great for bees and has a lot of medicinal uses, there are videos on YouTube decribing how to use it.

merlotgran

Prunella vulgaris - Self heal.

I agree. I don't think it is Ajuga.