I like dandelions, too. Little yellow harbingers of spring. I think they’re pretty.
And I have a really awesome dandelion-related thing in one of my flower beds. The flowers are huge, in three shades of yellow, and kind of star-shaped. Other than that, it looks just like a dandelion (goes to seed, etc.). I left it there because obviously this is no ordinary dandelion.
I like clover in the grass, too. The stuff my husband likes to put on the lawn kills the dandelions, but it also kills the clover. Actually while I like dandelions, I wouldn’t want a whole yard of them. I wouldn’t mind a whole yard of clover.
Here, here. I have no idea what they are called, but we have thickets of nasty plants like those everywhere in Connecticut. I remember treking in the woods as a kid and accidentally running into those. I was miserable attempting to extract yourself.
Let’s see, I have Lily of the Valley (Convallaria) growing all up into my lawn on one side of the house. I just mow over it at this point. Convallaria looks nice… for about three weeks out of the year.
I have Barren Strawberry (Waldsteinia) damn near everywhere. I’ve managed to tear most of it out of the flower bed but it’s woven into 20% of the back lawn. I have no idea what I can do about it.
I have some form of wild onion (Allium) that’s managed to spread from a neighbor’s house. At least the spot it’s in is sort of “dead” space and it’s not hurting anything.
I have some sort of mint that continues to give life a try every year despite having been torn out continually for the past three years. Even better, I’m allergic to the oils on it and each year I’ll see a sprig in the lawn, ploink it out without thinking, and get a rash up my arm for the next five days.
I actually don’t mind the dandelions & clover. Gives the rabbits something to nibble so they stay out of the garden. In my experience, their appetites go Native Plants > Non-Native Gardening Stuff > Turf Grass. Give 'em a patch of clover and they’ll ignore the veggies.
I’m planning on digging up a blackberry from my childhood patch and putting it in the yard. Everyone I’ve mentioned this to (who had an opinion) says “Oh no! Those will spread!” What? An invasive plant in my yard that serves a purpose?? Heaven!
Yes, I’m planning ahead to keep the blackberry bush in check.
[wiping tear from eye]Ah, that’s what I love about this board. The moments of absurdist humor. :p[/teary with amusement]
I’ve considered planting these little guys, because I have a Redwood in my front yard. Always kinda tickled me to see them in the wild. But I’m a totally neglectful and sucky gardener, so I gave up on trying.
Unless you need a way to keep a sleeping princess and the rest of the royal court safe until her true love arrives to break the spell. Otherwise some oaf will come along, fornicate with her in her sleep, and she won’t wake until the twin babes born as a result of the aforementioned fornication start suckling on her boobies.
Wild blackberries can be kind of a pain in the arse to transplant, be warned. If you don’t want 'em, they’re all over the place but if you do want 'em, they just curl up and die. One of my gardening books claims blackberry roots are very sensitive to sun and heat, so it’s best to work on a cool/overcast day, take as big a chunk of dirt around your plant as possible, cover the rootball immediately, and transplant as quickly as possible.
Me, I just gave up and got one at a nursery, after several failed attempts at transplanting some from my next-door neighbor’s ditch to my garden.
The previous owners of our house planted a lot of flowers I enjoy.
But I don’t like the creeping vine with blue flowers that they planted around their fish pond. I took out the fish pond and put in dirt for planting herbs there, but the creeping whatever-it-is is taking over my herb dirt.
My yard is about the size of a small room. There is a big old black walnut tree in it, which shades everything after about May and the roots of which prevent any real digging (or…living plants, for that matter). There are only four things that grow in my yard: dandelions, wild onion, violets and mud. I’m praying for those violets to spread faster every year…
Yup. The shade isn’t the only problem with that tree. Unfortunately, I can’t afford $700 or more to get rid of it (and it would involve in-place removal, too, since there’s no room in any direction to just drop it).
Thanks for the advice. I’m aware that they spread like the dickens but the area where I’m putting them is free range as far as I’m concerned (I have a large yard).
I appreciate the transplanting advice though; given their tenacious nature I assumed they’d transplant pretty easily but now I know to take some extra precautions. Here’s hoping it works out… them blackberries are yummy!
I’ve seen Blackberry canes as high as people. The thing is that’s the top of the arch before they head back to ground. most are not that huge around here but they can get that big.
I think if you like blackberries you should plant them.