Dandelions – Friend or Foe

They may be considered weeds, but…

  • They grow better than anything else around here.
  • The guinea pigs love to eat the leaves.
  • We can eat them and even make dandelion flower cookies.
  • The bright yellow flowers are lovely.
  • The seed heads are impressive.
  • The bees can make honey from them.

I think it’s time we classed the humble dandelion as useful additions to the garden and embraced them. It’ll certainly save some work.

Dandelion Flower

Dandelion Flower

Dandelion Seedhead Macro

Dandelion Seedhead Macro

Dandelion Seed Head

Dandelion Seed Head

3 Responses

  1. Avatar forComment Author Dave says:

    leave them for 18 months and you’ll have nothing but dandelions

  2. Avatar forComment Author Trudie says:

    They certainly are one of the nicest ‘weeds’ that you get in the garden, but as Dave says they multiply in no time. Maybe you could just keep one area full of them for the bees, but it would still be loads of work keeping them under control.

    I have a ‘problem’ with wandering Buttercup this year for some reason, it’s absoultely everywhere! But having said that it looks lovely all along the natural hedge that we have. Just don’t want it in the middle of the Japanese-style garden I’m trying to create at the moment!!

    My lawn is full of daisies and buttercups too and a little purple-flowered thing(?)and I think it looks rather nice. I don’t feel the need for the lawn to look like a bowling green.

    So, yes I’m quite fond of some of the ‘weeds’ in my garden. I think alot of people just like a very sanitised style of garden, where as I prefer things a little ‘wilder’ maybe.

  3. Avatar forComment Author Trudie says:

    Oh and lovely photo’s by the way!

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Alan Cole

Alan is a Freelance Website Designer, Sports & Exercise Science Lab Technician and full time Dad & husband with far too many hobbies: Triathlete, Swimming, Cycling, Running, MTBing, Surfing, Windsurfing, SUPing, Gardening, Photography.... The list goes on.

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