In The Garden: Is this a weed or a pretty volunteer?

I'm perplexed.

 

Have you checked if these are individual plants or if they are all growing from a wandering rhizome? On the one hand, they look to me like conifer seedlings - perhaps Tsuga (Hemlock) but on the other they remind me of the emerging sprouts of Galium (Sweet Woodruff). Not exactly a precise ID is this? :-)

 

Thanks a lot! I will check with my sister whose garden this showed up in and let you know. I'm leaning towards Sweet Woodruff based on your suggestion but will get back once I have more information.

 

It is independently rooted so these individual plants are popping up everywhere in the garden. I've asked my sister to confirm with the landscapers who planted the garden if it was intended ground cover. She is certain it wasn't planned. I'll try to get more photos as this doesn't give much to go on in terms of identifying.

 

They should not be conifers, as you can see two embryonic leaves on those sprouting plants.

 

Sedum reflexum 'Angelina'?

See image from Dry Ground? Drought-Tolerant Ground Covers to the Rescue

 

Having ruled out a rhizomatous plant, my money is on newly-germinated conifers but, I've been wrong before . . . Whatever it turns out to be, it sounds like the seeds were probably in soil or mulch the landscapers brought in but, if individually rooted, should not be difficult to pull out while they are young.

Basic Biology | Inspired by Life

 

I agree, whatever it turns out to be was likely seed in the soil or mulch the landscapers brought in. I will ask for more information about the texture of the leaves assuming a conifer seedling leaf might be stiff and slightly hard to the touch and the Sedum reflexum would have a slightly thickened/fleshy feel to it.

 

Sedum is undemanding and drought tolerant plant. It can spread in gardening centres onto storage piles of peat, compost, gardening soil mixes and mulch, bloom there, drop its seeds into the pile and spread into client's garden, when the stuff is delivered and dispersed.
It could also be sown by the landscapers as a drought tolerant ground cover.

 

Confirmed:
Sedum reflexum 'Angelina'

Thanks everyone for your help!