Sunday, June 12, 2005

A Weed by any Other Name

Saturday, June 11, 2005
A Weed by any Other Name

Now that spring has finally arrived on Quarry Point, I have begun the annual fight to keep my lawn mowed with enough frequency that my neighbours will not complain that I am dragging down their property values. The task is onerous because my property is sizable and because my mower is a small, worn-out electric model.

One thing I don't worry about, though, is weeds.

When I first moved in my mother advised me to take action against the weeds on my property. I can't remember what she suggested but I remember thinking that it sounded like work, so I can up with a strategy that has completely eliminated every single weed on my lawn, and I didn't have to lift a finger.

I simply redefined them.

You see, what counts as a weed depends on opinion and perspective. Grass on the lawn? Good. Grass in the vegetable garden? Weed. So a weed is really nothing more than a plant that you don't want in a given location. Thus it is that I welcome all plants on my property. If you can grow there, and you can tolerate occasional mowing, I say welcome to the neighbourhood.

So, everything is wanted and thus nothing is a weed. What my mom would call a weed, I simply call wildlife. Biodiversity.

And the best part is that my lawn is far more interesting as a result, featuring all kinds of interesting plants. My favourites are the wild strawberries that produce nifty white blossoms and act as natural birdfeeders. And while my neighbours complain that infestations have ruined their grass, my own lawn, more resilient since it is not an artificial monoculture, remains green. And what's better for property values than that?