For those who take pride in their garden and its appearance, invasive plants can be a nightmare.
Homeowners are urged to keep an eye out for these potentially harmful species that could invade your garden.
Experts at the Property Care Association (PCA) have said that people can help contain a range of non-native weeds and prevent their potentially damaging impact to the environment and property.
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According to the association, many popular garden plants could be like Japanese knotweed - one of the UK’s most widely known invasive plants – and are already emerging, potentially providing future generations with a significant ecological, environmental and economic burden.
To help householders, the PCA has produced a top five list of invasive plants commonly found in UK gardens.
5. Bamboo. 'Running' bamboos spread quickly and often outgrow the gardens they’ve been planted in. It spreads via rhizomes in soil and can dominate natural vegetation.
4. Buddleia. So-called ‘butterfly bush’ but not a food plant for caterpillars so of limited ecological value. Also known for its impact on buildings and masonry.
3. Montbretia. This plant likes damp conditions and forms dense clumps in a range of habitats.
2. Japanese rose. Similar to the native dog rose, but it spreads rapidly especially in heath-land habitats.
1. Himalayan balsam. This is common alongside rivers and rapidly displaces native flora leading to the erosion of the banks.
Dr Peter Fitzsimons, the technical manager of the PCA’s Invasive Weed Control Group, said: "Invasive non-native plants come in many different forms and sizes.
"Plants including Japanese rose and Montbretia might be a common sight in gardens across the country, but they are among a number of invasive non-native species, including Japanese knotweed, that ‘escape’ from gardens up and down the UK.
"All started out life as garden ornamentals but have taken off to some degree or other in to the wild.
"They need to be managed and controlled to minimise their potential negative impacts on natural ecosystems."
A spokesperson from the GB non-native species secretariat (NNSS) said: "Invasive plants can harm native plants by spreading pests and plant diseases, and competing for space, light, nutrients and water.
"This has a wider impact on other species which rely on native plants, including birds, butterflies and other insects, and could threaten the survival of rare plant species.
"Some invasive plants harm the economy and communities by interfering with agriculture and utilities or make it harder to take part in recreational activities such as fishing, sailing or paddling. Others can even affect our health.
"Once established, invasive plants are costly to control and the damage they cause can be irreversible.
"Pond and aquarium plants can be particularly devastating if they escape into a natural water body."
