It's been difficult to choose my 2009 weed of the year. Butercups and daisies continue to compete with grass in my lawn, as do those lovely rosettes of plantain. Then there are the dandelions. Oh dear, this isn't making my lawn sound very good is it? I have to crawl over it on my hands and knees a couple of times a year, digging out the worst offenders, then filling in holes with compost and a pinch of grass seed.
The grass nearly wins this battle, but lawn weeds add colour and interest. It's all about balance, and as long as it looks green who cares what plants make up your lawn (well, I could do without the moss!).
Then there are the brambles. Now those I hate, but they keep invading from neighbouring gardens. Long stems twine their way through hedges and shrubs unseen, and when they touch the ground they cleverly root to produce new plants, staking their claim to new found territory. These need to be dug out by hand, but it's one devil of a battle actually reaching them. And when you do they put up a fight. That's why they're so successful.
Bittercress continues to frustrate me, and I'm sure I'm not alone. Barely has a seedling had time to get established than it's flowering, then forming seed pods. And those pods have a trick up their sleeve. Reach down to pluck these annual weeds from your borders and the merest touch causes the seed pods to explode and scatter their contents far and wide. Very clever weed, very frustrated gardener.
So, is bittercress my Weed of the Year?
No. I suppose my picture has given it away. My Weed of the Year for 2008 is bindweed!
This gorgeous bindweed wasn't actually photographed in my garden, but in one of my favourite gardens to visit. Hidcote Manor Gardens is glorious - always inspiring - and even on a rather drizzly day last August it charmed the socks off me. Had this bindweed escaped the attention of their dedicated gardening team? I doubt it. This weed had been left intentionally to spiral up over the wall, with blooms assured to captivate visitors. It certainly worked for me, but as for my battle with bittercress, that is certain to continue well into 2009.
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