Country Notebook

“Weeds”

Western Morning News, The, Jul 29, 2010 | by PETE HANCOCK

 
Weeds. They have been defined as plants that are growing in the wrong place. To this interpretation could be added plants that are self-seeded. After all, who is going to deliberately plant weeds? Yet according to these definitions some of the most interesting plants in my garden could be labelled weeds. Growing out of a wall is a fuchsia which bears lovely soft-pink flowers for most of the summer, and I certainly didn’t plant it there. Perhaps it was the gift of a bird. I was even concerned that the hard winter might have killed it, but shrugging off its discomfort, it recovered in spring. At that time there was a profusion of primroses, far more than I could have ever planted. Bluebells too spread rapidly, their white bulbs multiplying beneath the ground, or turning beetroot-red when breaking the surface. And now the tangerine-hued crocosmia are about to appear that left unchecked spread along grass verges and hedgerows.
Then there is buddleia that spread in profusion but can be tolerated because the sweet-scented lavender-blue clusters of flowers attract butterflies.
I have gained a rose of Sharon, its star-shaped vibrant yellow flowers and fat ruby berries adding a splash of colour.
Acotoneaster has established itself at the base of a wall, an ideal place which I wish I had thought of myself.
All these plants could be classed as weeds, but wouldn’t parks and gardens be so much poorer without them? Do you have a story for Country Notebook?” Send no more than 300 words to “Country Notebook” WMN Newsdesk, 17 Brest Road, Derriford, Plymouth, PL6 5AA or email to wmnnewsdesk@westernmorningnews.co.uk putting “countrynotebook” in the subject field.
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