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These pretty little flowers are white campion (Silene latifolia), a wildflower that likes the well-drained soil in my garden. The plants have seeded themselves here and there, probably arriving from the nearby field edges.
I have pulled out one or two of them, but only if they’re crowding another plant, or in some other unsuitable position. In the past, I think many gardeners would have regarded this plant as a weed, but over recent years, we’ve become interested in having wildflowers in our gardens.
Now we are seeing both the beauty and the value to wildlife of these unexpected gifts from nature. White campion is a good source of nectar and particularly good for moths, who are attracted to its night-scented flowers. The related red campion (Silene dioica, shown below) is more attractive to bees and other daytime pollinators. (I don’t have this one in my garden. The photograph was taken in a wild area of a garden I visited.)
Another relative of white campion is bladder campion (Silene vulgaris). These two look very similar, except that bladder campion has an inflated calyx (the part behind the flower petals) that looks like a tiny balloon and has a much rounder shape than that of the white campion. It gives an interesting look to the plant, however, to my mind, the flowers of white campion are more attractive, especially when covered with raindrops. I hope that any moths around here will think so too!
Ann Mackay: Inspired by Nature 