~Andrew Mason
My lawn (and the fields surrounding our house) is absolutely covered in Dandelions! In one spot it looks like a yellow carpet - wonder what the soil configuration is that makes them so rife in certain spots? I have always picked dandelions for a small vase I have, but it is only upon very close inspection when I was sketching them that I realised what true little beauties these small flowers are, each a masterpiece aster in miniature.
Did you know that Dandelions can be beneficial to a garden ecosystem as well as to human health? Dandelions attract beneficial ladybugs and provide early spring pollen for their food. In a study done at the University of Wisconsin, experimental plots with dandelions had more ladybugs than dandelion free plots, and fewer pest aphids, a favorite food of the ladybugs. Dandelions long roots also aerate the soil and enable the plant to accumulate minerals, which are added to the soil when the plant dies.
(I found this interesting information at "Northwest Coalition for alternatives to Pesticides")
One should allow them in, shouldn't we? What is a pristine lawn? Every gholf course spend thousands of rands to maintain one. I vote for the lovely dandelions, and how good they look on paper!Nice work, Maree!
ReplyDeleteThey are often seen as weeds over here. I see them as a wild flower, like the butter cup. Beautiful! And I love your sketches!
ReplyDeleteLovely post Maree I happen to love Dandelions...a lovely little weed. My favorite time is when they go to seed..lovely child hood memories with them.
ReplyDeleteHi Marie and thanks. Another benefit of the dandelions is that my tortoise loves to eat them! Nature's food...
ReplyDeleteThanks Sandra, they are a definite weed here, but I just leave them, love to have them around.
ReplyDeleteThanks Crista! The little parachutes bring out the child in all of us, doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteI still remember a book I read as a child where they described the lawn as "buttoned down with yellow dandelions." Also, as I child we picked the leaves in our yard to cook like spinach. I have a small bouquet of dandelions gone to seed....I sprayed them with hair spray and they have remained intact for over a year.
ReplyDelete"Buttoned down with yellow dandelions" - what a beautiful description Patricia! I haven't tried the spinach yet, will be doing so the when the next batch arrives and your hairspray idea is fantastic! Will be trying that also.
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