weeds

I have this never-ending rock garden project I started this Spring. I am transforming our front yard into something totally new. I have drawn out plans and put way too much thought into it; and no where in there did I plan for weeds. In fact I planned for no weeds. I put down weed barrier, and covered it with layers of good stuff. And yet, here they are. Every time I look down there is a new one.

Now, I am a strange creature who actually likes to weed a flowerbed, or a vegetable patch. I get in there and get my hands dirty and I see progress and I move along.

This rock garden is different, while I still enjoy getting my hands dirty and I like pulling the suckers out, it is just such an assault because of the starkness of the green against so many rocks and the impossibility that something is growing where something is not supposed to be. It is not fertile soil, it is rocks! If I want something to grow amongst the rocks, I have specifically planted it, lovingly in beautiful expensive soil.

While pulling the unwanted greenery I think about things. A garden is a great representation of life. What we plant we will sow; what gets watered will grow; the grass is greener where it is watered; grow where you are planted; real strength is in the unseen roots; and so on.

Weeds make me think about the things in our lives that keep rearing their ugly heads. Like temptations, weeds are usually very pretty. They wind their way in among the good. They break through barriers. They live on very little sustenance and they are so hard to destroy.

I have a love/hate relationship with dandelions; heck, I have a dandelion puff tattooed on my left calf because I love the idea of making wishes. I love how bees are attracted to the yellow flower; how you can see if you love butter; and a bouquet picked by a little boy for his mama is just about the sweetest thing. AND yet, when they pop up in the middle of a beautiful patch of green grass they have to go. They are uninvited, unwanted, and unsightly. Their roots are hardy and require more than just a snap of the stem. You have to dig that sucker out, or it will be right back next Spring with some of its buddies.

The particular weed that I am currently battling with in my rock garden is a vine. Meaning I pull it out on this side of the garden and think I got it, and then it is on the other side, and then it is in the middle. It is actually quite pretty and if it were just growing in between stones on a flagstone path in front of an old stone house it would be lovely, but alas it is not. It is showing its half heart-shaped leaves and curvy stems and beautiful white bell flowers with yellow centers in MY ROCK GARDEN.

This weed reminds me of things in life that keep cropping up, things that exist because they haven’t been killed. Things in life like anger; jealousy; resentment; hatred; hurting others with words and deeds; cheating; lying; stealing. So many things in life are pretty and yet are just weeds. They are very appealing. They feel good in the moment. They are easier than forgiveness, love, apologizing, being fair, or kind. But if we let those “weeds” go; if we don’t get rid of them, they take over. And while they may be pretty to look at, many are poisonous; and all take over the good if unattended.

What weed bouquets are you collecting? What weeds are continuing to crop up, and you continue to pull? And what weeds have you completely “Round-up” treated? May your minds and hearts be fertile soil and your weeds be few and far between.

Happy growing.