Sunday, January 30, 2011

In praise of weeds



Weeds are under appreciated plants, they are very hardy, and some even remove toxins from the soil.
They grow where nothing else will and flourish where you wish they wouldn't.
A few weeds can help keep moisture in the soil during time of drought. And then there is that lowly weeds are the origin of our domesticated plants.

When I was a little child I once told my Mother that I had " pulled the Swedes out of the flower garden" interesting seeing as most of the neighbors were of Scandinavian decent and that a member of the turnip family is called a swede.

One man's domesticated plant can be another man's weed, think chives and soapwort. One man's weed can be another man's dinner, think purslane and dandelion. To me St Michealsmass Daiseys are beautiful flowers, but to most they are a weed. Sneezeweed which looks a lot like Gloriousa Daisye is another example.

In the winter weeds with their sturdy stalks and huge seed heads look sculptural, even architectural.
Though I would gladly pull them up in the summer, now they are .....well beautiful.


Guest blogger on Tsougrisma: The Greek Easter Egg Game

It's nearly here!   Tsougrisma: The Greek Easter Egg Game   Wooden spoons and a straw nest holding Greek red Easter eggs.   © Provided ...