If only I could shout, “Weeds, be gone!” and poof! like magic they’d vanish.  I know, not in this reality.  And even if I could, I’m not sure I’d actually do it.

Why?  Well, I like some of those “weeds” and don’t want them gone, even if it were as easy as wishing it to be so. And it depends a bit on my definition of a weed.  A weed is simply any plant growing where it’s not wanted.  By that definition, the volunteer rugosa roses and quince must go (over and over again—they are that persistent, but then, so am I once I get started). 

The trick is getting rid of the vast majority of weeds while letting the wildflowers grow.  One provisionally welcome wildflower is pale jewelweed (Impatiens pallida).  Its bright yellow flowers are a bee favorite and their bobbing blossoms make me smile.  It’s an annual, so only its seeds will create new plants.  Fair warning:  Jewelweed seeds are abundant and in the spring countless seedlings appear absolutely everywhere.  Happily, they’re one of the easiest plants to pull, so even weeding the excess volunteers isn’t too much of a chore.

A foraging bumblebee taking advantage of yellow jewelweed (Impatiens pallida).

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