Weeding the garden
is a bit like doing the house work, I know that if I keep putting it
off things will only get worse and yet I've been doing just that for
the best part of a year. I'm a reluctant weeder, not because I find
it a tedious task but because I actually rather like weeds. Having
evolved to be perfectly suited to our growing conditions, our wild
flowers are much more at home here than the fancy ornamentals we
would rather have, but there are some that are so successful even I
must concede that they really do have to go.
Given the tangled
mass of foliage in my beds and borders, any sensible person would dig
over the soil pull out all the weeds and throw the lot on the compost
heap. But contrary to sound gardening advice if I don't know what a
plant is I'll leave it and see what it turns out to be, so my weeding
efforts can be very long winded as I inspect and attempt to identify
all the seedlings of granny's bonnet, teasel, self heal, valerian,
viola, vetch and anything else that might have decided to pop up. I
enjoy gardening on this intimate scale, close up, down and dirty with
the woodlice worms and beetles. It also means that I don't
inadvertently dig out any of the self sown hellebores, poppies,
fennel and verbena and it allows me to get to know my garden and its
inhabitants in much finer detail.
Where the buttercups
are growing the ground retains moisture, the soil is richer so I know
it will be a good place if I want to grow Hosta, Rodgersia or
Ligularia. The dry patches at the edges of paths I've found to be
alive with ants, perfect spots to watch out for a visit from a hungry
green woodpecker and at the base of a dry stone wall is a daytime
hiding place for snails where I can sometimes see the thrush hunting.
On hands and knees
I'm at eye level with the blackbirds taking their daily bath in the
pond and the robin as he follows my progress inspecting the disturbed
ground for insects.
This isn't just
weeding and it's certainly no chore, what I'm really doing is getting
to know my garden intimately and hopefully next year we will both be
all the better for it.
Self heal - the name gives it away, it used to be used to heal wounds.
Beautiful buttercup
 |
| Teasel - brilliant for goldfinches |
Granny's bonnet - self seeds everywhere, a great gap filler