by Blue Vespa

Created on: August 21, 2008   Last Updated: November 15, 2008

Weeds are the true measure of your gardening experience. Those people who travel by or visit you know right away the level of your gardening prowess and tolerability by the kinds of plants and weeds growing in your yard and garden.

We bought an old farmhouse with a very old yard. The front lawn had been used as a driveway and was patchy and compacted. There was a hedgerow of beautiful old rose bushes and several lovely but overgrown lilac bushes. Many different varieties of weeds, dandelions, thistle grew abundantly in every corner. Spirea grew everywhere. It has been the curse of the garden as it grows along the foundation of the house, in the rose bushes and ivy and returns every year like clock work. Work being the operative word. The definition of weed varies from garden to garden and to us, the spirea is the worst weed of all.

My husband became fascinated with the weed killer pump. He applied the herbicide carefully to every weed he could find. Identification became an issue when he methodically killed all of my beautiful oriental poppies. He has been relegated to the driveway with his pump and we meticulously pull the spirea shoots every year. Over time this has become effective and we are starting to gain the upperhand. They say patience is a virtue and I find that to be a gross understatement.

Chemicals are faster but I prefer to use as few as possible as we have dogs and grandchildren. It's not the popular view but it's mine all the same. If you can apply a little elbow and wrist action, you can attain a beautiful yard without all the chemicals. However, you can groom a driveway in short order by using those same chemicals. Compromise and patience will win peace in your partnership and your yard, garden and driveway will show the resulting efforts.

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