I have over the last couple of years left 'weeds' to do their own thing. Take out some things,leave others. It is all a question of balance between 'wild' and 'cultivated' which I suppose is what gardening is all about!
“Every day is ordinary, until it isn't.” - Bernard Cornwell-Death of Kings
I’m allowing any wildflowers/weeds to grow which are pretty and/or important food sources for caterpillars and other insects. Some are only allowed in certain specific areas (such as brambles, cleavers, nettles and alkanet), others are allowed a wider choice. However many plants that some regard as weeds are lovely flowers to me such as forget-me-nots, ox-eye daises, poppies etc. I do whip out docks and horsetail.
I do though have one or two areas which I garden with a zero tolerance policy such as my knot garden as I want this to have a specific aesthetic. Other areas may have some weeds tolerated and not others, depending on the colour scheme and style. No different to the same way most of us might manage anything that self-seeds. Luckily for the weeds and wildlife the rest of the garden is definitely cottage style and a certain level of managed chaos adds to the charm ( for me anyway) 🙄
If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”—Marcus Tullius Cicero East facing, top of a hill clay-loam, cultivated for centuries (7 years by me). Birmingham
My old garden had so many primroses which self set over 50 years, you could barely walk around in spring without treading on some. They were every colour imaginable from very pale yellow to rusty red. I brought a pot with self sets in it for my new garden where they continue to multiply. I wish that I could let you have some @Valley Gardener. Having to pay for them is a strange concept to me!
I do though have one or two areas which I garden with a zero tolerance policy such as my knot garden as I want this to have a specific aesthetic. Other areas may have some weeds tolerated and not others, depending on the colour scheme and style.
I would love to see a picture of your knot garden, is that possible?
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
I don't like weeds in ornamental borders and veggie beds because they're taking nutrition and moisture from my treasures. However, we do have a big plot - 1.4 hectares - with thin soil and gravel in places where grass grows when it's wet enough but where, following the two heatwaves earlier on there are now several different kinds of yellow flowered weeds, cow parsley, wild carrot, bindweed with pink flowers, pink and white clover, wild eryngium, apple mint and many more.
In areas with deeper soil there's more mint, nettles, buttercups, speedwell...... Happy to let them all grow for now and deliberately leave some long grass with them in but I do have plans to make more ornametal beds with enriched sol for my treasures and weeds will not be tolerated. Plenty of room left tho.
We want to be a haven for wildlife from micro-organisms in the soil to insects, small reptiles, amphibians, birds and small mammals. Working so far. Found a local version of a praying mantis on one of my shrubs in the nursery pots. First one I've seen.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast. "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
I've started a policy of only pulling up weeds in the back paving that are tall enough to help slugs get up into my pots. I've planted birds foot trefoil in the lawn, and have decided that the thistles in the front can stay as they're good for wildlife and too much bother to keep pulling up. Dandelions mostly stay.
I think a plant is a weed if the gardener doesn't like the plant and doesn't want it in his / her garden. If the gardener doesn't like Tulips, Lupins or Delphiniums for example then the gardener can call them weeds! If the gardener likes Dandelions then the dandelion is not a weed.
Many would consider Creeping Jenny, Bugle, Betony (Stachys officinalis), Fleabane (Pulicaria dysenterica), Wood Anemone (Anemone nemorosa), Daisy (Bellis perennis), Hawkweed (Pilosella aurantiaca), Wood Sorrel (Oxalis acetosella), Sweet Violet (Viola odorata), Mind-Your-Own-Business (Soleirolia soleirolii) all to be weeds but i love them and actively encourage them.
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Take out some things,leave others.
It is all a question of balance between 'wild' and 'cultivated' which I suppose is what gardening is all about!
I do though have one or two areas which I garden with a zero tolerance policy such as my knot garden as I want this to have a specific aesthetic. Other areas may have some weeds tolerated and not others, depending on the colour scheme and style. No different to the same way most of us might manage anything that self-seeds. Luckily for the weeds and wildlife the rest of the garden is definitely cottage style and a certain level of managed chaos adds to the charm ( for me anyway) 🙄
East facing, top of a hill clay-loam, cultivated for centuries (7 years by me). Birmingham
But happily have Cranesbill and Poppies etc,that you don't have to buy.
In areas with deeper soil there's more mint, nettles, buttercups, speedwell...... Happy to let them all grow for now and deliberately leave some long grass with them in but I do have plans to make more ornametal beds with enriched sol for my treasures and weeds will not be tolerated. Plenty of room left tho.
We want to be a haven for wildlife from micro-organisms in the soil to insects, small reptiles, amphibians, birds and small mammals. Working so far. Found a local version of a praying mantis on one of my shrubs in the nursery pots. First one I've seen.
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw