What is a weed?
It's supposed to be a nuisance plant. But I have some really beautiful weeds growing in my garden. Like Foxglove:
WEED FOR WEDNESDAY Some people may want to pull those babies out - but not me. I say, "Who is the genius that determines what's pretty and what's a pain?"
At least in my garden, that genius is going to be me. Now, I know foxglove can be dangerous. Some people consider it a poison but other people consider it a lifesaving medicine.
Of course you shouldn't plant foxglove, or Fairy Fingers wherever kids or pets might eat them because they will get sick. But, for me, I plant them in places where my pets can't get to them because I think they're pretty. Plus, I've never seen my dogs or cat even try to eat them. Maybe they're smarter than I give them credit.
Another "weed" I have in my yard is Amaranthus retroflexus.
Some people call it "pigweed" but it was cultivated by the Aztecs for culinary purposes and by Native Americans for it's grain. I think it's pretty.
So, is a weed just a plant that grows too easily? Why do we fight in our gardens to keep these plants out? I garden with the "cottage garden" mentality: If I like it, it stays. I don't care what people call the plants.
What do you think? Do you have any "wanted" weeds in your yard?
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