Good News: Weeds are friends, not foe
28th Apr 2023 Good News
Weeds and pests are “garden heroes” according to the RHS
The Royal Horticultural Society is now encouraging gardeners to celebrate weeds rather than considering them pests.
The rebranding comes just in time for this year’s Chelsea Flower Show, hosted by the RHS, where four out of 12 of the gardens will feature what we are now to refer to as “superweeds” and “weed heroes”, according to Sheila Das, the RHS Wisley garden manager.
"Fat hen, a weed often considered “troublesome” is an indicator that an area is low in nutrients"
"If you’ve got a weed”, says Das, “it’s telling you what’s going on underground. Your weed is your adviser. It’s your friend." So rather than considering them a nuisance, growing where they shouldn’t, “they are actually plants in the right place".
Nettles, for example, let a gardener know that the soil is rich in nitrogen, and fat hen, a weed often considered “troublesome” is an indicator that an area is low in nutrients.
Super-weeds are the star of the show
Dandelions are a great source of nectar for bees
As well as the usual roses and hydrangeas, the Flower Show will also include thistles, knapweed and brambles. Jilayne Rickards, designer of the Fauna and Flora garden said, “When you look at what they can do for wildlife in your garden, it’s immense…They don’t need watering or feeding. It’s a habitat.”
"Piles of dead wood, rammed earth floors and still pools of water will all feature as varied habitats for insects, encouraging a more wildlife-friendly approach to gardening"
This year, the Royal Entomological Society Garden has been designed with the particular intention of studying garden insects. Piles of dead wood, rammed earth floors and still pools of water will all feature as varied habitats for insects, encouraging a more wildlife-friendly approach to gardening. Rather than only considering what “looks nice”, we should also be considering what works well for the little critters that populate our back garden. Tom Massey, the designer of the insect haven, commented, “People often get really stressed out about dandelions on the lawn but they are a good source of nectar [for bees] because they flower early in the year.”
From bad to best
Snails helps recycle dead plant matter and animal waste
Until last year, the RHS published an annual “pest and disease” list, ranking the worst culprits. These often included lichens, fungi and slugs. But this year, in a bid to be more “biodiversity positive”, they’ve published a list of the most beneficial wildlife to encourage back into your garden, and lo and behold, lichens, fungi and slugs are making a comeback, among other previously deterred creatures.
"Slugs and snails are excellent for recycling dead plant matter and animal waste, helping to keep soil healthy"
In an opinion piece for the Guardian, the RHS’s principal entomologist Andrew Salisbury noted that slugs and snails have been the most complained about “pests” in six out of the last 10 years. However, he claims, “our gardens would be a duller and messier place without them”. As well as being a source of food for hedgehogs, frogs and birds, slugs and snails are excellent for recycling dead plant matter and animal waste, helping to keep soil healthy.
Also on the list, slime moulds are often considered unsightly in a well-maintained garden. But the RHS says that they should be considered friends of the shrewd gardener as they help to break down organic matter and return nutrients to the soil.
Fun with Fungi
Fungi are a natural and important part of a garden's ecosystem
Continuing the rebranding of what was previously considered a hindrance to gardeners, this year’s flower show will also welcome the first fungi growers. Caley Brothers, suppliers of grow-at-home mushroom kits, will be displaying a variety of fungi in the Great Pavillion, and teaching audiences about the beauty and benefits of growing fungi.
Better biodiversity
These are just the first steps towards the RHS’s goal towards better biodiversity. Salisbury said: “The RHS is all too aware of the role that gardens have in supporting biodiversity and as such will no longer label any garden wildlife as “pests”. Instead, there will be greater consideration of and focus on the role that slugs, aphids and caterpillars play in a balanced garden ecosystem along with more popular wildlife (or animals) such as birds, hedgehogs and frogs.”
Read more: Gardening In April: What to plant
Read more: The evolution of the garden
Keep up with the top stories from Reader's Digest by subscribing to our weekly newsletter
*This post contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.
