The Wonder of Weeds

Tamsin Westhorpe is determined to find the good in some of our common weeds.

HAVING recently read a book called Wonderful Weeds by Madeline Harley, I have a new-found interest in these ‘nuisance’ plants. The truth is that native weeds bring so much to our plots, and if you investigate them you’ll fi nd that even the ones we curse the most off er a few benefi ts. The main advantage of weeds is undeniably that they off er wonderfully enchanting fl owers that attract benefi cial insects to the garden. There are many native wildfl owers that are rare and should be welcomed and valued by us all, and there are also many ornamentals that have become weeds that still hold value. Our native weeds play a vital role in the ecology of our wonderful countryside. Most gardeners are very happy to welcome wildfl owers such as the cowslip (Primula veris) and I love to see daisies (Bellis perennis) in the lawn. Not all these weeds are a threat to our gardening prowess and some are a real treat.

Food for thought

I’m not for one moment suggesting that you encourage weeds, native or otherwise, but if you’re fi ghting a constant battle you may as well look for the good in your opponent. Living in rural Herefordshire, I’m surrounded by wild plants and they enhance my life in many ways. As a keeper of chickens, I’m all in favour of the common chickweed (Stellaria media). This annual plant seeds readily and my chickens adore a fi stful in their run. The plentiful seeds provide a feast for small garden birds as well, and if you have a budgerigar it will thank you for a few sprigs. Those planning to nurture a clump of nettles to attract butterfl ies must remain steadfast and keep the clump restricted. Let it run out of control and you’ll be in danger of losing your garden to its greedy grasp. However, it will be a magnet to red admirals and tortoiseshell butterflies.

Red Campion (Silene dioica)

A stunning biennial (often grows as a perennial) that flowers from May to July. Perfect for dappled shade. It can be dug into the soil as a green manure. Height up to 2ft (60cm). Roots were once used as a ‘soap’ for washing clothes

Dock (Rumex obtusifolius)

We all know the pain of a nettle sting. To reduce the sting, rub the area with a dock leaf. It’s worth having a clump that’s well controlled out of sight in the garden for this reason only! This plant has a tap root so is hard to control

Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale)

This robust and often rampant perennial weed deserves a mention as it offers some of the most nutritious leaves you can eat, and the flowers are used to make dandelion wine. The vitamin-packed leaves are very bitter

Nettle (Urtica dioica)

A native perennial that can reach about 3ft (1m) in height. Young leaves are used to make soup, and if chopped and submerged in water the leaves also make a wonderful organic plant feed. Great for attracting butterflies

Common vetch (Vicia sativa)

An attractive weed that will scramble through other plants. Ideal as a green manure as the roots are excellent nitrogen fixers. Dig in before it gets a chance to flower and set seed. In the past, farmers would feed it to the horses

sources: Amateur gardening, June 2018