But deliberately buying and planting a weed in my garden? That's a whole other level.
I actually do know what I was thinking when I bought 'Dragon's Blood' Clover last year. I was thinking, 'What a cool name!' and 'Well, if I'm going to have weeds in my garden, at least they will be pretty ones.' And up close, the plant is actually quite lovely.
Yep, I fell for it. I'm shaking my head now at the past Indie.
My story of folly is not even over yet. After I planted it, the clover had the nerve to look like it was struggling in my garden. I moved it, gave it extra water, and actually cared for the stupid thing. I admit it - I, Indie, babied a weed. All summer it acted like it was dying and actually tricked me into thinking it would never come back. Boy was I was wrong.
This year it thanked me for my care - by popping up EVERYWHERE!
It's growing in the front garden. It's growing in the side garden. It's in the lawn having wild rebellious parties with all the other types of clover and weeds.
Like I said, what was I thinking?
By the way, if anyone else - maybe a big nursery that wants to sell fancy new cultivars? - has a similar lapse in judgement, I happen to have a red-splashed version of a different weed that I would be more than willing to sell:
I can personally vouch that this, ahem, plant grows very well in the garden.
Almost like a weed, in fact.
Any suckers takers?
You're not alone, I've done exactly the same thing. The only way to get rid of it is to move 300 miles. And even now I'm not convinced it won't catch up with me..
ReplyDeleteGlad to see I'm not alone - but I think I'm stuck here with it for the time being! Uh oh!
DeleteI have planted many plants that turned out to be invasive and took over ...yikes...but I grow clover in the back lawn for the rabbits and that would be a lovely addition....it keeps the rabbits out of my garden.
ReplyDeleteI have plenty of clover around in my lawn for the bunnies. Now there's one more added to the mix! I do actually like clover - just not sure about the way it's helped itself to the entire garden :)
DeleteI did the same thing with Chameleon Plant
ReplyDeleteHouttuynia cordata 'Chameleon'.
Oh no! Not fun.
DeleteI planted chocolate clover. :o) But I'm glad I did. The bees like the flowers and when a rabbit decided to munch his way through my flowers, he filled up on the clover first.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't heard of that clover before, but oh is that pretty! I think this clover is really pretty - but it might be better suited in a different part of my yard!
DeleteAlways learning in the garden, that's for sure! One of the problems I have is invasive plants that were here when I moved in, but I didn't keep them in check. Now we have some bigger challenges with some of them. Argh.
ReplyDeleteThat is too bad! I had a whole field of purple loosestrife when we moved in. The kids and I went around cutting them down before they could seed, but it still pops up around the yard. There's always something, isn't there?
DeleteWell, when faced with a monumental error, never admit it. Clover is edible and very good for you. Pull the stuff by the handful and tell everyone you grew it for salads:) BTW, I sympathize with your friend Ann. I too planted Chameleon. It took me years to eradicate all the suckers that kept popping up many feet feet from the original planting.
ReplyDeleteHa, that would be quite pretty in salads, too! I like it!
DeleteWow!
ReplyDeleteIndie, Your garden and plants looks like a fairy tale.
Leaves limbs are very interesting.
I have a nice week.
Greetings. ♥ ♥ ♥
Thank you! I do like the leaves close-up. Have a great week!
DeleteI can see why you fell for this plant. The beautiful red goes well with your red greenhouse. Too bad it doesn't know it's place.
ReplyDeleteI'm just astonished at how far it traveled after just one year. It's popped up in the garden yards away from anywhere I've planted it. It is pretty, but still does look, well, weedy!
DeleteHilarious. I can't believe a bit of kindness didn't kill it. Perhaps sporting the pumpkin outfit to garden might shock it into submission? It's worth a try....
ReplyDeleteI have some dandelions I would be willing to sell to you... they would offset the clover beautifully.... excellent foliage combination....
sorry....
Haha, surprisingly I don't have nearly as many dandelions in my lawn, but I shall check out that foliage combination :)
DeleteIt is funny, but our garden club perennial sale has sold weeds and people bought them. The person supplying them thought the weeds were pretty perennials. Not all gardeners know their plants I guess. Your story was cute and there are many native plants I will not plant because they are aggressive "weeds" in the garden. Sometimes one tries them and finds out too late.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I've worked at a couple garden sales where we had to discourage a few of the plants that were brought. Some of those pretty weeds will fool you!
DeleteHahaha:) I think the same thing every spring when the Obedient Plant starts popping up everywhere in the garden--what was I thinking?? I do like the red-splashed leaves on this clover, though; too bad it's not better behaved.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'm afraid to grow Obedient plant just for that reason! Here in the Northeast, a lot of plants just take off!
DeleteWe've all done it. After I bought a darling little plant with the cutest name of Bunny Tails I realized I pull this stuff out of my garden all the time. Now, I had even more of it. And, oh, yes, I've been there, done that with obedient Plant, too. That one took 4 years to convince it wasn't welcome. Beware the free plants offered up by innocent looking ladies at garden fairs. I'm still trying to eradicate, after 10 years, an aggressive, invasive strain of anemone, handed to me by a sweet lady with a beautiful smile. I actually thanked her. Some of us are slow learners.
ReplyDeleteI've worked at a couple plant sales where we had to sort of discourage people from buying a few of the plants that some garden club members brought. Not everyone knows what is invasive and what isn't. And I guess what might be well-behaved in one site can be a thug in another!
DeleteOh, my. I removed my second post because it was the same as the first. How'd I do that 30 minutes apart?!
ReplyDeleteVery strange! Weird things always happen with me and computers, so it is likely some odd glitch on my site :)
DeleteI've done it but think that since we have to pull weeds of one sort or another, it might as well be a beautiful and unusual weed, right?
ReplyDeleteHa, very true. I might be pulling out those beautiful and unusual weeds for years! :)
DeleteBwahahahahahahaha. One of these days you'll plant something that is SO invasive you will never intentionally do it again. That happened to me and Momma with that Mexican Petunia -- the tall stuff with purple or pink blooms.
ReplyDeleteI can't stop laughing, Indie, but I know this isn't really funny. We have all had a similar experience though. P. x
ReplyDelete