I'm a garden writer and here are 4 plants I'd never grow - avoid the same mistakes I made

Whilst I love gardening and spending time outside, I also like it to be as simple as possible. This, for me, means growing low-maintenance plants that need little pruning but provide big rewards. This includes plants such as salvia, roses, hostas, and fuschias, all of which produce incredible colour with little care needed.

Plants like these require the right lighting and watering conditions, but will be happy to grow in a container or flower bed. However, there are certain plants in my garden I'd never plant again myself, as they were already there before I moved in, and they have caused me nothing but aggro.

1. Mint

Whilst mint can be an incredible plant providing dishes and drinks with colour and flavour, mine is planted directly into the border, which was a huge mistake by the previous owner.

On the surface, mint doesn't look like a very aggressive plant. It grows incredibly quickly and has actually killed nearby plants. However, mint can be invasive and crowd out other plants. It quickly takes over that side of the garden, requiring pruning every couple of days during the summer.

This means I'm rewarded with a huge supply of mint, which is great, but it's not so great that some of my garden has been killed due to its vigorous growth. Instead, growing mint in containers can be much better as long as they're watered regularly and provided with full sunlight.

2. Rosemary

I use rosemary for many things, including making bread and cocktails. While it is generally easy to grow, there is so much of it in the garden that it has caused me some problems.

Similarly to mint, it grows so fast and requires frequent pruning, and it's quickly taken up a lot of my garden. It's also very hard to prune and often requires a saw to cut through the thick stem.

It's also very susceptible to root rot, which is fine if you have well-draining soil and a garden, but I do not, so it would be much better to have it in a container.

3. Oleander

On the surface, oleander, or Nerium oleander, is one of the most gorgeous plants, available in shades of fuchsia, orange, and light pink.

However, it's actually one of the most dangerous and poisonous garden plants to be found in the UK. Ingesting even just a small amount of this plant can be lethal, and even touching it can produce rashes on the skin.

With small children and pets around, this isn't a plant I'd ever bring into my garden, despite its beauty.

4. Rhododendron

Rhododendron ponticum, a popular but problematic plant, is discouraged from being grown in the UK due to its invasive nature and negative impact on native ecosystems.

It forms dense thickets, shades out other plants, and its leaves can be toxic to livestock. At present, it is not illegal to buy or sell this plant, or to plant it in a garden. However, it is listed on Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act in England and Wales, meaning it is an offence to plant or otherwise cause to grow this species in the wild.

Due to this, despite its beauty, it's not a plant I'd want in my garden. It's also toxic to cats, dogs, and horses.