Some of the trees in the garden are over grown with purple bindweed, or columbine. The colour is absolutely exquisiteite and it always draws my eye. I find it odd that something so fabulous could be considered a weed; I’d happily plant it at home if it would grow there.

It is odd, when you think of it, that we name some plants ‘weeds’ and others not. I guess ‘weed’ is just another label we use. Odder though, as my sister pointed out, that when we use it as an insult it implies weak, but in truth, weeds are strong and grow where they choose, not where they are planted. They are free spirits, rather than tethered and controlled. I think, on balance, I’d rather be a weed than a plant…