WHEN IS A WEED NOT A WEED?
If, like me, you follow the "MORE IS LESS"* philosophy you probably don't have too many weeds in your borders.... (*the MORE plants the LESS room for weeds to grow)...and if, like me, you have gravel paths and/or paving slabs that's the place the weeds put their roots down. As we in the Northern Hemisphere head towards Winter the time for the Grand Autumn Clear-up is here. Time to tackle those neglected weeds before they take a foothold! A really bad winter can be assured to kill off your favourite hardy shrub but those dandelions will sail through unscathed! But before you rush out with kneeling mat, blow torch or weedkiller.....BE WARNED...you may be killing off FREE PLANTS!!! Earlier this year I wrote a post about Spring Freebies, well there are plenty to be found in Autumn too.
Hmmmm....this area of gravel needs weeding...
but look closer....
Foxglove.....
Quaking grass....
and Fescue.....
and as this college shows that's not all I found...from left to right...stipa, cerinthe, campanula, heuchara, trailing nepeta, carex, welsh poppy, nigella and feverfew......
It doesn't take long to lift them and pop them into a space that's been cleared of annuals. Of course you can make a mistake and end up nurturing a Dandelion instead of a Gallardia (yes I've done that!) but if in doubt pop it in a pot and see what you get!
If anyone would like to read the latest update on Helen of Helen's Haven.....please visit Patra's blog........Gina hopes to be visiting Helen soon and if you would like to leave a get well wish in her comment box she will pass it on to Helen and her family. Gina has her own health problems and I'm sure we all wish her well too.
While you are bloghopping...it's Claire's (A Little Piece Of Me) Birthday today
I wasn't sure what to get her for her birthday..........she has lots of homework to do so I'd better not send alcohol or she'll never get anything done.......maybe something nice to look at while she's studying.....................NAKED MAN IN BATH ALERT!!!!!!!
9 comments:
hmmmm! Out in the garden today, when I get rid of this earache..pottering! I am ignoring the grey cloud heading this way!
Dx
my more is less philosophy has backfired! Now we have more is more..... lots of groundcover being choked with even MORE weeds! The are called eirtjies here, which roughly means little onions... if you pull them out and miss even a few of the bulbs, they proliferate like mad, and if you leave them in they flourish too, the bulbs go so deep you have to ransack the garden to get them out and denude everything in sight. So I now leave them and try and kid myself that they look like groundcovers who are there by invitation! Love your freebies!
Hi Ruth,
You have to remember what the Great man (Alan Titchmarsh) once said...A weed is a plant in the wrong place.
If you live by that philosophy you wont go far wrong..
Cheers Mark
I've more weeds that flowers alas, but plans are afoot. Have a great weekend
I prefer to call weeds wildflowers, that's just before I uproot and burn them lol
You know so much about plants! I am impressed!!! I am about to lose the battle of the weeds...but I am still working at it!
My 100th post is Saturday..stop for a visit if you can!
One man's weed is another man's wildflower. There is one "weed" in my yard that has beautiful purple flowers and pops up all over the place. A friend told me the name of it but of course I forget. But I move them from the cracks along the driveway into the garden so they actually look very lovely1
Oh thanks for the tips Ruth, I'll pass them on to my head gardener (MWM). :)
Oh Ruth! You brighten even the most horrific days with your good humor!
You are so amazing, as you know so many plants. I couldn't name very many...even if it were to save my LIFE! Terrible, isn't it?
Perhaps one day when I can sit down and think again...(but I won't hold my breath!)
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