My front yard is covered with many weeds; yes, it is weedy. Who cares? Well, actually there are people and home associations that care. They see green growth on my front yard that are not on the approved plant list. Oops! Yet for me, I see the unwanted plant, a weed, important for all of us and especially while it has a flower. No way will I pull that plant out by its roots at that time. A seed blew in or was part of the hydro-seed thrown down when the landscape was created and now the plant is growing. It is beautiful with its flower and I want to see it each day it is there. When there is no flower, then I will pull it. You see I have a method to caring for my landscape. I appreciate nature’s colors and the role of all plants in our world.

During my latest weed-pulling hours, I thought this would be a good time to remind myself of the importance of weeds. Often people think they do not want that plant, the weed, and forget the role these plants play in our natural world. Weeds do grow much faster than other garden plants and for good reasons. They grow, flower, and produce more young weeds to continue the cycle of life. Weeds hold soil in place for a hillside to remain stable and not be washed away in a heavy rain. Weeds absorb nutrients from the soil and when they die the nutrients are released. Their process of photosynthesis is important for us all too! In nature, you rarely see many bare soil areas. There is much to be accomplished by these weeds and their seeds simply move in and do what they need to do.

There is one weed that drives me crazy! I get so frustrated with this one. Unless I look at the plant from a particular angle I cannot see it! This plant is called skeletonweed. Perfect name choice! I am sure it is doing all that a weed is supposed to do. But just as I walk away from an area of the yard where I think my weeding is done, there is another skeletonweed! Take a look for yourself … do you see it in the photo below?

Your welcome. I photographed it so you could see it! If I included a photo of its first growth or younger growth or from a different angle, you would not see the plant. I don’t care it is a species of wild buckwheat; I just know it arrives every year to drive me crazy. For me, this weed is tougher to love!