Blooming in the yard right now are cinquefoil, bluets, mouse-ear chickweed, buttercups, common speedwell, white clover, yellow wood sorrel, lady’s thumb, and dandelions.
Most suburbanites would be horrified by that list. “What a nasty, weedy mess!” they’d exclaim. My husband certainly doesn’t care for the weeds. He plans to dump broadleaf killer on them someday and then grow a nice, boring crop of grass.
I’m going to try to talk him out of it. My reasons are simple. Every time I go outside I see one or more of the following: robins, woodpeckers, hawks, rabbits, grasshoppers, dragonflies, frogs, snakes, salamanders, bumblebees, butterflies, and even occasionally hummingbirds. Our yard is a haven. Get rid of the weeds and maybe you get rid of everything else, too.
But even for me some of the plants don’t hold much charm. I would not mind if the chickweed and speedwell went away, for example. But before we resort to chemicals I would prefer to see how the yard evolves. Most of the plants are aggressive and they’re going to have to duke it out for dominance. The violets and clover do quite well here, and if they win I will be happy. I honestly do not understand why a lawn of grass is more appealing than one of clover and violets. I’m rooting for them (and also for the bluets and buttercups, because I can’t think of anything more cheerful than they).
And that’s why I want to keep my flowering weeds and why they are among my Favorite Things.