I walked down the driveway to retrieve the mail the other day and these cheerful 'flowers' seemed to line my route. I swear I could hear them laughing at me, as weather and illness saved their lives a bit longer, delaying their attack by a steady stream of 'Round-up"!
They've a more prominent place in my lawn than anything else these days! What's that adage about the shoemaker's children having no shoes? This is the horticulture instructor's rendition, I'm afraid!
Funny thing ..I really do like the plants...they're pretty useful. They were a staple in European gardens before American colonization -- they were used as a potherb ... and the colonists brought them over for their gardens. (And there are larger leaved varieties for sale to plant in gardens -- less bitter, actually) in several seed catalogues!) Flowers make a tasty flowered and fried snack - tasking much like fried artichokes, or rendered into wine, roots make a tea, leaves as greens.
And clever! Ever notice that the flowers stay pretty low to the ground so that your lawnmower misses them? But that fluffball of a seedhead pokes WAY UP HIGH so that your lawnmower scatters the seeds everywhere? And all the flowers (each of those ray flowers making up the entire yellow head) are female -- who've evolved their own special way of reproduction. And heaven knows, they've escaped from their rows of cultivated gardens and prospered to inhabit much of the landscape.
Yep, a lot to admire in one wee, humble? plant ... but, Miss Dandy, we've a date with a sprayer -- SOON!
18 comments:
This really is wonderfully loose!! I had to laugh at your description of those clever dandelions managing to evade the lawnmover and scatter their seeds at the same time! Hope your feeling lots better now!
Oh me, you are such a good writer, as well as a terrific artist! I'm afraid Dandylions (as Rod McKuen called them in his song) are the only flower in our "garden" and I love to see them dotting the hillsides and especially love them in their fluff ball stage. Who can forget picking them to blow the fluff and getting white "milk" all over our little hands. Let them live, lady, let them live!!! (I even have rubber stampS of this lovely flower). But I do remember hating the greens when I was little -- with vinegar - yuk!
Lovely sketch and painting.
Hugs,
L
This sketch is so beautiful. I love dandelions and we've eaten them fried before.
You're so right about the tenacity of the dandilion- sometimes I think we forget how pretty it is. Glad you did your lovely picture to remind me.
You've memorialized this weed so well, I hate to see it's demise -- LOL!! What interesting facts and an excellent work of art, a nice looseness.
You've just made me fall in love with these plants. I never thought that would happen!
You not only gave us a new look artistically but verbally about these dreaded 'flowers'. Great job and text Lin.
Your writing ability is as grand as your drawing ability! Great!
I love the story as well as the sketch!
Those are Dandy Lions!!
When I was a child, we ate many plants. My favorite was nasturtiums. They are pretty and the flavor is so peppery.
I had no idea you could flour, fry and eat the blossoms of the dandelion! Hmmm... maybe we'll have to try that sometime soon!
:-D I noticed that they survived the recent frost here, when nearly everything else died. Naturally!
Great drawing, and a fun post!
What a lovely painting. I really admire your style. When i was little I used to think dandelions were little drops of sunshine and that's what this reminds me of. Vey pretty!
I will never look at this flower in the same way. I love the fresh loose quality you have captured it in.
They are common here too and brought to Australia for similar reasons, so I grew up with them as a familiar sight in the garden and lawn. Funnily, when I went to the UK for the first time I was STUNNED by the size of their dandelions. They were HUGE - flowers the size of small saucers. They are so very much smaller out here. Must be the harsher environment. So they really are wonders of plants. They adapt to all sorts of conditions. I think they are cheery too. You did a great job drawing these. Very much a case of highlighting the everyday matters of the garden - in many parts of the world it seems. :o)
I love your dandelions! very crisp and fresh! lovely
My son just told me on a walk that dandelions his favorite flower - and now you've done a whole post about them. I'll have to have another look. Your painting certainly brings out the beauty of them. Lovely work, Lin.
*Lovely* sketch of these wily and beautiful wild flowers!
Since my son is a major pollinator of dandelions (loves to blow dandelions’ seeds) and I don’t have the energy to annihilate these plants that occupied every single corner of my yard, I gave up the hopeless war and learn to live with them. Good luck, Lin!
Delightful! And who knew that plants could evolve to interact with lawn mowers!
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